Forever Giving
by HandsomeAngel
Summary: Mai's friend Sumiko appears with a case for the SPR team. Mai is thrilled to be able to help her friend. But what happens when that very friend is put in danger? Will Mai have to lose someone important again? Or will the SPR team be able to save her?
1. Chapter 1

**Story:** **Forever Giving**

**Disclaimer:**** Ghost Hunt does not belong to me . . . at least for now. *HandsomeAngel chuckles darkly and Ono Fuyumi shudders***

**Author's Note:**** Those of you who have read my other story will probably notice some of my own characters coming back. Despite this, both stories have nothing to do with each other. I simply brought the characters back because I liked them, but this time they will be more of Sumiko's friends though Mai might know them from past meetings.**

Chapter 1

"Ugh, this is so boring!" Mai was stuck doing nothing in the office. She moaned. It had been _months _since their last case and she was bored out of her mind. Naru turned away every potential client who had appeared in the last few months, saying it was a waste of his time. So now all there was to do was get Naru tea and paperwork. "_Though I have to admit,_" Mai smiled, "_things do get a lot more fun when the others come by for a visit._"

"Mai, tea."

Mai groaned. Just when she was getting comfortable again, Naru _had _to call her and ask for tea. "I swear," Mai grumbled as she set the kettle, "he calls for tea when I get relaxed on purpose. That narcissistic tea-addict." She was still grumbling when she went to the office's door. Mai took a deep breath to calm herself even though she would not be calm when she left. She knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Mai walked in and set the tea on the table. She waited for a few moments like she usually did. They both knew what she was waiting for: a 'thank you'. They both also knew she wasn't going to get it. But she still waited. Part of Naru had to admire her perseverance – and the other part just thought she was an idiot. "Well, Naru?" Mai asked impatiently.

"You do realize I don't pay you just to stand around like a moron," he answered, not looking up from his folder.

Mai growled, "I was hoping you learned some manners."

"And I was hoping you learned something," Naru said before sparing a glance to give her a smirk, "other than how to be an idiot."

"YOU TEA-ADDICTED NARCISSITIC JERK!" With that, she stormed out of the office filled with an anger that was not eased by Naru's smirk. "_Argh! I swear one of these days, I am going to poison that guy's tea._" Then she went to make two more cups of tea. She set one of the cups on the table in front of the couch and went to take Lin-san the other cup. "Lin-san, can I come in?" she knocked on his door.

"Go ahead," Lin-san told the girl over his shoulder as he continued to type on his laptop.

Mai smiled as she entered. The way he treated had become so much warmer than when they first met and she was glad. "I brought you some tea."

Lin-san lifted his gaze to smile at her, "Thank you, Mai."

Mai grinned happily, "No problem. I'm just glad that _someone _knows his manners." She looked pointedly at Naru's office as she spoke louder than necessary to make sure Naru heard. Mai sighed as Naru did not respond in any manner: probably because he was ignoring her.

Lin-san chuckled at Mai's reaction, "Even Madoka hasn't managed to teach him any manners."

Mai giggled at the memory of Naru's sensei, "Oh well. But is there anything I can get you, Lin-san?"

Lin-san shook his head, "No, that won't be necessary. But thank you, Mai." The girl simply smiled in response before quietly walking out, closing the door behind her.

"_Great,_" Mai moaned silently, "_Back to doing nothing. I wish Bou-san or one of the others would come. Or at least a client._" Right as she was about to sit down though, her wish was granted.

"Um, hello?" asked a soft voice, "Is anybody here?" Mai would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Sumiko!" Mai almost knocked the girl over as she rushed to hug her.

"Mai," the girl laughed as she returned the hug, "You are as hyper as always."

"What do you expect? It's been years since I last saw you!" Mai hugged her friend even tighter.

"Honestly, are you trying to strangle me to death?" the girl joked.

Mai loosened her hold on her friend just a little, whispering, "I missed you."

"I missed you too. Now," the girl smiled, holding Mai close before pulling away just enough so the two could see each other, "let's see how much you changed, hm."

Mai looked over her old time friend. Sumiko had grown a little taller, but so had Mai, allowing them to see at the same height. Her friend's body had developed over the years that they had not seen each other, losing the childlike figure she used to have. **(A/N: Don't go imagining DoubleD's or anything. Just imagine a normal woman. **_**Normal!**_**) **Sumiko's pitch-black hair had grown longer, reaching to her mid-back, which she as always kept tied in a ponytail. Mai laughed as she noticed a few more things that had not changed. The girl still had the same twinkle in her eyes as a smile played at her lips. Mai could remember as children, Sumiko always enjoyed teasing her friends. However Mai knew well that there was more to her friend than simple joy and playfulness. Her friend's eyes still had the same wisdom and warmth as before that made sure everyone knew she would be there to help them. "_She's still the same as always,_" Mai smiled.

"Hm," Sumiko looked over her old friend, "It seems you are the same child I knew all those years ago: physically and mentally. It's too bad. I was hoping to see some changes." She sighed dramatically.

"What do you mean I haven't changed?" Mai was outraged, much to her friend's amusement.

"Yup, you haven't changed at all." Sumiko laughed as Mai fumed at the comment.

Mai seemed to notice something at that moment and looked around expectantly, "Hey, where's Kago? Last time I saw, he never left your side."

"Ah," Sumiko let go of her friend, who she had still been hugging and turned around, "He's right behind me."

"Man, he's gotten huge!" Mai looked at her friend's ever-constant companion. Behind Sumiko was a huge gray wolfdog with darker patches on some part of his body. The canine stood a few inches above the girls' knees, just emanating a powerful aura. "_Well, he is_ _part wolf._" But the most impressive part of the beast was his eyes. Even though technically his eyes were gray, they always seemed to glow silver whenever the light hit them, making him have a piercing stare. Mai had suspected that there was more to the dog than meets the eyes for a while and meeting him again had just strengthened the idea.

"I know, but he won't grow anymore," Sumiko smiled at her friend's awe.

"Um, Sumiko?" Mai moved closer to her friend, looking at Kago cautiously.

"Yes?" Sumiko raised an eyebrow at Mai's behaviour. Mai had never been afraid of the wolfdog so why did she seem so wary?

"Is it just me or is he glaring at me?" After Mai had finished looking over Kago, she had notice the dog seemed to look up at her in a manner that seemed akin to Naru in some ways. However when it came from a being that weighed as much as she did and was part wolf, it seemed a lot more fearsome.

"Oh," Sumiko smiled apologetically, "He's just taking out his anger at me on you."

"Huh?" Mai looked at Sumiko as she realized what must have happened. Sumiko put herself in danger to protect someone else and got hurt. Again! "Oh, Sumiko! What did you do this time?"

"Well you see," her friend began casually, "I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen and I knew Kago would get hurt, protecting me. So on that day, I asked him to stay with my friends at the orphanage. He was suspicious, but I had recruited the children's help and he wasn't able to leave."

"And?" Mai raised an eyebrow, slightly curious about Sumiko's 'feeling'. She had known about Sumiko's ability to know when something bad was going to happen, especially she always removed her friends from the danger and put herself in its path.

"Well, I was walking down the sidewalk to one of the stores as usual and I saw a boy run out onto the street to get his ball, not noticing that a car was coming right at him," Sumiko sighed at the memory, "That poor boy must have been so scared."

"And let me guess what happened next," Mai supplied sardonically, "You pushed him out of the way and got hit by the car."

Sumiko nodded as though it was the most usual thing, though it probably was to her since she was always helping others, "I ended up in a coma and just woke up last week. Kago was less than happy when he found out I knew that something bad was going to happen and made sure he wasn't in danger while placing myself in it."

"Gee, I wonder why," Mai said sarcastically, "Honestly, you have any idea how worrying it is to see you on a hospital bed, barely breathing?" Mai had seen the sight once in her childhood and she had no desire whatsoever to repeat the incident. It had scared her so much: to see her friend who was always so strong lying there on the brink of death.

Sumiko noticed the change of mood in Mai and pulled her friend close, this time opting to let Mai's forehead rest on her shoulder as Sumiko whispered, "I'm sorry for giving you such a terrible memory, Mai."

Mai just nodded, relieved to have her old friend's comfort. Sumiko had always known what to say to make Mai feel better. Mai smiled slightly at the memory. The two stayed like that for a while before Mai pulled away, completely refreshed with a cheerful smile on her face again. "Alright! Now how about you sit down while I get you some tea?"

Sumiko chuckle at her friend's quick mood change as she watched Mai rush off to the kitchen. "Come on, Kago," Sumiko gestured to the couch as she sat down in it. Kago curled up at Sumiko's feet, resting though never closing his eyes, determined to keep an eye on the girl.

"So why are you here, Sumiko?" Mai asked as she handed her friend a cup of tea, taking one for herself.

Sumiko sighed, her eyes going serious as she turned to her friend, "I have a case for you."

Mai was surprised, "Really? What happened?"

"You remember that I mentioned through our phone calls that I helped out at an orphanage in my spare time, right?" Sumiko waited to see Mai nod before continuing, "Well, that's what I came here for. I got the feeling it wasn't human and I remembered you worked as a 'Ghost Hunter' so I decided to come here. I didn't know if I needed an appointment or not though so I hope you don't mind."

Mai shook her head, "No way. I've bored out of my mind without a case. Let me just go and get Naru." She didn't need to explain her boss's nickname to Sumiko as they had already talked about. Mai walked over to Lin-san and informed him that they had a client before walking over to Naru's office door. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, walking in as soon as Naru acknowledged her presence.

"What is it, Mai?" Naru asked, not looking up from his notes.

"We have a client."

"I see," Naru sighed. He hoped it wasn't one of those pointless cases that had been coming his way for a while now. Though he didn't show it, he too was anxious to get a new case to work on. "Tell them I'll be out soon. Also prepare some tea for all of us."

Mai nodded and was about to leave when she stopped, turning back to him, "Naru, she's a close friend of mine."

"I won't take the case simply because she's your friend, Mai," Naru told her.

"I wasn't implying that you should," Mai was annoyed at him for not even listening to what she had to say, but she forced herself to calm down, at the very least for her friend's sake. "I just wanted you to be polite to her. And also pay attention to what she says. Though Sumiko seems cheery, there's a lot more to her than that. If she came here saying it was spirits, you can bet that it was spirits. On top of that, I think she has a few psychic powers." With that, Mai walked out the door.

Naru raised an eyebrow. Mai had a lot of confidence in her friend and her thoughts: more than she usually had in people, including him. What kind of person is this 'Sumiko'? Naru got up to find out. However even he didn't realize what an _interesting_ person Sumiko would be.

**Yup, this is my next story. Also keep your eye out for interesting yet suspicious notes. There is always more to a person than meet the 'eyes'. See ya next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mai came in with the tea for Naru and Lin-san just as Naru opened his office door to see their new client. On the couch, a girl around Mai's age is sitting . . . with a dog at her feet. Naru turned to glare at Mai, who had just set down the tea, "Why is there a dog here?"

Mai laughed nervously, "Well, he's Kago, Sumiko's dog. Since she was in an accident a week ago, he won't let her out of his sight."

"I know," Sumiko said cheerfully, "He was even angry enough to glare at _Mai_ and everyone knows that any person who glares at Mai is just insane. Right, Naru?" They all stared at the girl who was smiling sweetly at them. Had the girl in front of them just insulted _Naru_?

"Madoka?" Lin-san coughed slightly as he looked at Mai.

Mai shook her head, "Barely, if at all."

Naru cleared his throat. Normally he would get mad at any client and refuse to listen, but the firm confidence Mai had in her friend's beliefs along with the fact that his client might have psychic abilities interested him. "So how about we get to your reason for coming here?" he asked as he sat down.

Lin-san smiled to himself. He had heard what the two had said in Naru's office before coming out to meet Mai's friend. He knew Naru's reasons for not turning the girl away also included not making Mai upset, even if the boy didn't know it. But Lin-san didn't mention it as he got ready to type anything the client said.

"Well, as Mai probably told you, my name is Hoshizuki Sumiko. I often help out at an orphanage, which is run by my friends, Zawayoki Noriko and Yamamaru Izumi. In fact I go there almost every day if I can between school and my job at the local library so I'm pretty much included as one of the main people. But lately mysterious things have been happening at the orphanage."

"Like what exactly?"

"Well sometimes you can hear rapping noises coming from the wall. There have also been incidents of windows shattering, though fortunately no one is injured other than for a few scratches. Doors have often opened or closed by themselves, even though no on is there. Once in a while, the door even gets locked, trapping whoever was in the room. Luckily we've always managed to get them out before anything happened by knocking down the door or something along those lines."

Lin-san looked up at the girl, "Forgive me if I sound rude, but the idea of a woman knocking down a door is a bit hard to believe."

Mai huffed, "_What does he mean by that?_"

Sumiko chuckled at Mai's expression and gently touched the girl's arm to calm her down before turning to Lin-san, "I can understand what you mean, which is by no means rude in my view. It's true a woman knocking down a door is a bit preposterous since a woman is naturally weaker than a man. But remember there are men in our orphanage as well. A few of them are not legally adults, but do have the strength of one. They usually come and knock down the door. If not them, Kago would knock down the door. He is a rather large dog and part wolf at that. It's a simple matter for him."

"What about the younger children?" Naru questioned.

"If Noriko, Izumi or I aren't there, we have asked the older children to take the younger ones away from anything they deem unusual or dangerous in any way. If someone gets locked in a room, then the older females take the other children away while the older males get the person out."

Naru nodded. It was a sensible idea. "What else has happened?"

Sumiko nodded, "Sometimes things have moved on their own. And we wouldn't be so worried if it was just chairs or tables moving across the room. But there have been times when knifes have flown at people. Thankfully most of the injuries have simply been scratches so far with only one being serious in any way, but we have no idea how long that will last."

"What was the serious injury?"

Sumiko didn't say anything: instead she rolled up her sleeve. Mai gasped. A little underneath her shoulder laid a scar that clearly came from a knife.

"How did it happen?" Naru asked, his face not showing any expression though Mai could tell he found her scar troubling.

"One of the children was making themselves a sandwich and as he was walking out, a knife started flying at him. I came in at the time and saw what was happening. I shielded the boy and got stabbed in the arm. Thankfully the boy wasn't injured. We were lucky that time."

"It doesn't look like you were lucky," Mai commented dryly.

"I'm not dead, right. Or maybe I am," Sumiko's eyes danced as she rolled her sleeve back down.

"You shouldn't be joking, Sumiko," Mai muttered crossly. Sumiko simply laughed, patting the other girl on the arm.

"Is that all?" Naru was interested in the case, but he didn't want to take it on without knowing everything.

Sumiko sighed, "As much as I would like it to be, no it isn't. Whenever a woman gets along with the children really well, she encounters a number of accidents. Before these incidents, some girls would come to visit the children, but now they're too scared to come. I'm the only one now."

"And you haven't ever thought about leaving?" Naru knew most would value their safety too much.

"Like hell I have. The day when I let some dead person who can't get their butt into the next world control my life is the day hell froze over," Sumiko told them calmly, but firmly.

Lin-san chuckled. This was one unusual woman. Mai laughed, "That's the Sumiko I know. You haven't changed at all."

"I have no reason to," Sumiko said in a jokingly confident voice.

"Don't be a narcissist," Mai playfully swatted her friend's head, "That's Naru's job." Then she felt a chill in the room that reminded her Naru was still in the room. She looked at the boy, laughing nervously.

"Very nicely done, Mai," Sumiko chuckled, making Mai send her a glare, "But his glare is so much like Kago's."

Mai looked surprised for a moment as she looked back and forth between her boss and Kago, "Oh, wow! Their glares are so similar, but that's about it."

Naru cleared his throat, "I do not appreciate being called similar to a dog."

The two girls laughed as they heard Kago give a low rumble in his throat. "I think he feels the same way," Sumiko joked, making Mai laugh even more. Even Lin-san couldn't help a chuckle.

Naru shot a glare at his assistants before he turned to Sumiko, "We'll accept your case. We'll need a room for our base. We will also need three rooms to stay in."

Sumiko asked, "Two of them should house 3 people and one for two people, right?"

Naru nodded, attributing Sumiko's knowledge to Mai and their friendship, "We'll come to the orphanage at 9 am tomorrow."

Sumiko nodded, "I'll tell them about your arrival. As for your rooms, they have already been prepared." The three ghost hunters looked surprised, making their client chuckle. "I would not bother you if I did not know for certain that these occurrences were suspicious. I'll also be staying at the orphanage with you."

Naru simply nodded and entered his office while Lin-san closed his laptop to head to his own office. As soon as the two had gone to their rooms, Mai turned to her friend, surprised, "You're going to stay with us? But what about your school and your job?"

"I've taken a leave from my job with my injuries as my excuse. As for school, as soon as I woke from my coma, I had to catch up with my studies and accidently studied everything for this year. That's why after testing me this morning, they gave me the rest of the year off."

"Sumiko, I swear you're one of the few people who could accidently skip three years and still manage to learn exceed," Mai sighed.

"Who else?" Sumiko raised her eyebrow. The last time they had met, Mai had said Sumiko was the only person who could do that.

"Naru," Mai groaned. Sumiko laughed at her friend's exasperated look. "It's not funny."

"Oh yes, Mai, it is," Sumiko smiled before sighing as she leaned back and massaged her forehead. Kago was immediately alert as he stood up to look at Sumiko.

Mai rushed over to her friend, "Sumiko, are you alright? Do you need anything?"

Sumiko chuckled, waving her friend's offers away, "I'm fine." When Kago made a low rumble in his throat to disagree, she added, "Okay, maybe I am a little tried."

"It's overwhelming you again, isn't it?" Mai asked worriedly.

"It's better than what others like me have to deal with," Sumiko said, "A little exhaustion and a few headaches are nothing compared to how they feel sometimes. I am glad to have this ability and there's no way I'm going to jinx it." Then Sumiko grinned naughtily, her eyes dancing, "Besides, with my ability it's easier to see whose body is getting _excited_ if you know what I mean."

"Sumiko!" Mai turned bright red at what her friend was implying. Sumiko laughed at Mai's reaction.

"Aw, you're blushing. Have you been thinking naughty thoughts as well, you dirty girl?"

"No! Shut up, Sumiko!"

"Looks like someone has got something to hide~"

"Sumiko!"

After exchanging a few more teasing words, Sumiko left accompanied by Kago with the promise of meeting the next day at the orphanage. Mai smiled as she watched her friend leave. Even after all these years, Sumiko still took care of her friends before herself. **(A/N: Mai means that Sumiko cheered her friend up when Mai was getting worried. Just in case I didn't make it clear enough.) **"_Alright_," Mai punched her fist in the air,_ "Sumiko has been helping me since we were kids. Now I am definitely going to help her!_"

Unbeknownst to Mai, Lin-san had overheard the entire conversation. He chuckled to himself. He knew what the young girl was thinking. Lin-san turned back to his work with a little smile tugging at his lips. This case would most certainly be interesting.

**Hm. What did Sumiko mean by 'others like her'? Wait to find out! Next chapter, we arrive at the orphanage. See you then!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Oh wow," Mai looked at the orphanage in awe, "This place is a mansion!"

"Well, you did say that they moved to this house because they needed more room for the children," Ayako reasoned.

"They must take care of a lot of children though," as a priest, John appreciated what Sumiko and her friends were doing.

"Didn't you say that when they first started taking care of these kids, the government didn't know so they didn't get any help from them?" Bou-san pondered. Mai nodded silently.

"And the only reason they have help now is because the government found out on its own?" Masako continued to see Mai nod again.

"They must have really big hearts," Yasuhara said. Mai laughed silently. If they thought her friend had a really big heart now, just wait until they met her.

"Well, I'm glad you found your way here," spoke a gentle voice.

"_Speak of the devil,"_ Mai thought as she turned to face her friend again. "It was so far though. The ride here was so boring because I had to be with the two most silent creatures I have ever met," Mai whined.

Sumiko smirked, "I know a being even more silent."

"Yeah, but he's bearable," Mai pointed out.

"Wait, who are you talking about?" Bou-san asked, confused.

"Who could possibly be quieter than Lin-san and Naru?" Ayako looked doubtful.

The two girls grinned, "Kago of course."

"Who is Kago?" Masako questioned. The two just grinned even wider as they wordlessly nodded in the mentioned being's direction.

"So 'Kago' is your pet," John asked.

"No way," Sumiko told the priest, "I would never in my life think of Kago as my pet."

"Well, they do say 'A dog is a man's best friend.' Though he seems a lot more like a bodyguard," Bou-san observed from the protective way the dog surrounded Sumiko.

"He _is_ like a guardian sometimes," Sumiko smiled as she let her hand roam the dog's body, half absentmindedly, "Though he can also be like an overprotective mother." Everyone laughed as Kago let out a low rumble.

"I think he's saying, 'I wouldn't need to if you had more self-preservation,' to which I'd like to mention he does have a point," Mai teased her friend.

"I don't think you should be talking," Masako smirked.

Mai huffed though she wasn't really angry. Masako and Mai had gotten along much better ever since the medium had realized she had feelings for someone else. Though on the surface their relationship seemed like it was the same, the insults exchanged were much more good-natured. "But I only get in danger because I don't know what's going to happen. Sumiko knows what's going to happen and puts herself in danger, using herself as a shield."

"But it's so much easier to protect others than to protect myself," Sumiko sighed. Kago gave a low rumble again, giving the girl a glare.

"Well, well, well," Yasuhara's eyes twinkled teasingly, "Is this a lover's quarrel I see?"

"Maybe," Sumiko grinned playfully in response. Everyone laughed as Kago made an action that looked much like a sigh.

Then Naru decided to come in, "If you all aren't busy, how about you start bringing in the equipment?"

"The least you could do is say please," Mai told him, though she knew her efforts were in vain.

"Isn't that why I pay you?" Naru said, turning away.

"Um, Naru?" Sumiko called after him, waiting until he looked at her to continue, "I think you should wait to bring everything in."

"Wait for what?" Bou-san raised his eyebrow.

"Sumiko-nee-chan is back!" An unknown voice called out, alerting all the others.

Sumiko grinned, "_That_." All of sudden, they could hear joyful cries and what sounded like a stampede of elephants.

"What's going–" Ayako's question was interrupted as multiple children ran over to Sumiko, showering the girl with questions. Sumiko just laughed and returned all the hugs, greeting all of the children.

"Who are these people?" asked a little girl, staring at the SPR team curiously.

"They're the people I said would be coming to help us with our problems, Sayo," Sumiko smiled at the girl before turning to all the children, "That's why you all need to be nice to them, kay? "

"Kay!" The children looked more than happy to listen to Sumiko.

"They must really like her," John smiled. The others could only nod in agreement.

"Well, it's not like I expected anything else from Sumiko. She's always been able to make kids love her," Mai grinned.

"That's true," a quiet voice came from behind them. The group spun around to look at where the voice came from. It was a young girl around the age of fourteen. She had long straight auburn hair with matching eyes. It was clear from the way she looked that the girl liked to keep to herself.

"Uh, hi," Mai smiled tentatively, "What's your name?"

"Rin," the girl answered with a nod.

"_I guess she's not one who smiles easily,_" Bou-san thought.

"So Sumiko is back?" another voice spoke. This time it carried a silent but strong aura. The source was a young man who looked about 15 years-old. He had black hair that fell slightly above his dark brown eyes. He too didn't seem like the type that talked much since there wasn't any need for it.

Rin turned to the source, "Yeah, Ichiro. These guys here are the SPR team Sumiko mentioned to us before."

Ichiro nodded to the newcomers, "Welcome. Thank you for coming."

Ayako answered, "No problem."

"You should hardly be the one saying that," Masako told the woman. Ayako shot the girl a glare though they both knew it was more playful than anything. The two had overcome their differences a while ago though they still enjoyed arguing with each other.

Naru came in at that moment, "Could you show us to the base so we can get started?"

"Of course," Rin told them before turning to the children, "Children, could you leave Sumiko for a while as she helps us?"

The children let out cries of protest, which were silenced by Rin's stern look. Sumiko bent over to talk to the children, "How about I join you later?" The children grinned widely before they ran off to play.

"So, shall we head in?" Ichiro gestured to the house.

"Yes," Naru nodded, following as the younger boy walked in. The others trailed the two men, Bou-san, Mai and Lin-san carrying boxes of equipment.

"_I had thought it was big before, but it's huge now,_" Mai wondered as they approached it, a bit wide-eyed. Rin chuckled lightly at Mai's expression. Mai flashed her a quick smile, pleased to see the other girl return it.

"So you're a friend of Sumiko?" Rin asked the girl.

"Un," Mai smiled, "We've known each other since we were kids." **(A/N: 'Un' is a sound of agreement like how you saw 'Ah' when you realize something.)**

"I suppose she was self-sacrificing then as she is now, huh."

"Definitely," Mai moaned, "though that doesn't make it any easier to deal with."

"There's something we can agree on," Rin sighed, "Sumiko needs to think about herself more often."

"Ara," came Sumiko's voice as she approached the two girls, "Gossiping about me, are we?"

"No," Mai spoke teasingly, "We're just talking about how troublesome you are."

"Oh no," Sumiko placed her hand over her heart dramatically, "I think I just heard my heart break."

"Don't worry," Rin said dryly, "I have some duct tape." Mai laughed while Sumiko gave a light chuckle.

"Are you scheming something without me?" Yasuhara came up behind them.

"Yup and we're not telling you," Mai grinned deviously.

"Ah, my heart just broke," Yasuhara sighed as he pretended to faint.

"It's okay. I'll share the duct tape with you," Sumiko joked.

Yasuhara grasped Sumiko's hand in both of his, "Thank you, fair maiden."

Sumiko pretended to curtsy, "My pleasure, good sir." The two looked at each other and grinned wickedly. It was clear that the two were going to get along well.

"_Oh boy_," Mai mentally groaned, "_Just what I need._"

"Don't get your head stuck in clouds and walk into the door, Mai," Bou-san ruffled her hair.

"Bou-san," Mai complained, patting down her hair again as they entered. Things seemed normal enough, but soon after they went into the house . . .

"Sumiko-chan!" Everyone turned to see Yasuhara supporting a pale Sumiko, Kago surrounding the girl clearly troubled.

"What's wrong?" Ayako asked, ever the doctor.

"Nothing, this place just gets a little getting used to," Sumiko smiled weakly.

Rin rushed forward, "It's the 'presence', isn't it. Whatever's here is overwhelming you."

Ichiro walked forward calmly, though his eyes were alight with concern, "You haven't been here in a while so it hits you pretty hard."

"Wait," Mai looked at them, having come over as soon as she set her box down, "You mean she can feel the ghost too." The two simply nodded. Mai narrowed her eyes, turning to Sumiko. "You didn't tell me you were feeling its presence," Mai hissed.

The SPR team was alarmed. Never had they heard Mai use such an icy tone. The way she looked right now made even Naru want to ensure he didn't piss her off.

But Sumiko on the other hand didn't seem to be fazed by it, "I didn't find it to be relevant."

"There are a lot of things that you don't find _relevant_," Mai told the girl, her tone as icy as ever, "Most of which result in putting you in a coma! Like last time . . ." The assistant spoke the last part too quietly for anyone to hear other than Sumiko.

Sumiko's eyes filled with sorrow as she gently laid her hand on the other girl's head. "It won't end like last time," Sumiko promised quietly though this time everyone could hear, "I won't give you another memory. So smile for me. Kay, Mai?"

"Un," Mai nodded, looking up with a timid smile. Sumiko shot her a reassuring smile.

Seeing that they had calmed down, Naru looked at Sumiko, "You can see spirits?"

Sumiko laughed, waving her hands to dismiss the theory, "I can't see spirits. How could I?" However the last sentence was spoken quieter, making Rin, Ichiro and Mai shoot each other a glance of understanding.

"Then how could you sense the spirit?" Naru pressed, his curiosity aroused by the secret glances the four were exchanging. **(A/N: By the four, I mean Rin, Ichiro, Mai and Sumiko, just in case I didn't make it clear enough.)**

"It's complicated," Rin came in, giving Naru a look that was clearly meant a warning. The SPR team was amused. Few dared to give _Naru _a warning look.

"How about we continue this at the base after you're set up?" Sumiko smiled gently to appease both of them.

Naru nodded, "So shall we get going?"

"We can," Rin nodded, walking ahead of the group, "Follow me."

"Eh?" Bou-san looked puzzled, "What about Ichiro?"

"I have my own job," Ichiro told the man.

"What job?" Ayako asked curiously.

But Sumiko seemed to catch on, "Oh no. There's no need for that."

"Yes, there is, Sumiko," Rin sighed.

"Would you prefer to collapse?" Ichiro asked, raising his eyebrow.

Sumiko looked at Mai, knowing that the girl would worry if she collapsed. Already her friend looked anxious. Sumiko sighed, giving in. "Fine," she muttered before giving the brown-eyed boy a light glare "But don't you dare complain if I'm too heavy."

"Yeah right," Ichiro chuckled as he picked Sumiko up bridal style with ease, "You're as light as a feather, Sumiko."

"Lying is wrong," Sumiko told him playfully.

"Exactly why I'm not lying."

"Yeah right. If you weren't lying, I'd float every time I fall. Instead I plummet like a rock," Sumiko grinned.

"Oh my," Yasuhara smiled teasingly, "Flirting, are we? How could you cheat on me, Sumiko-chan?"

"I am so sorry, my love," Sumiko pretended to sigh, "I could not help it. But there is one thing that would make me faithful once again. Would you do it?"

"Of course, my dear. Anything for you."

"Don't call me Sumiko-chan," the girl smiled, "Just Sumiko."

Yasuhara looked surprised at first before grinning as he bowed, "If that is what you wish, _Sumiko_." The girl laughed at the way he said her name.

Bou-san looked at them in awe, "They get along so well."

"Maybe we've finally found Yasuhara a _girlfriend_," Ayako grinned.

"They would get along so well," Mai laughed at the idea.

"Oh no," Bou-san groaned, "Two of them?"

"I wonder how Ichiro-kun is doing," Masako looked at the boy carrying Sumiko.

"He looks like he's enjoying watching their little interplay," John observed.

"He didn't seem like the type who would enjoy it," Ayako said.

Rin spoke up from the front, "It's because of Sumiko."

"Huh?" Bou-san looked confused.

But Mai smiled in understanding, "Sumiko always makes everyone feel joy in her presence. Her aura's so warm that it's like second nature to her."

John smiled, "It's understandable that the children are drawn to her then." Masako merely nodded.

"We've arrived," Naru finally spoke, "Put your boxes down and get the other pieces of equipment."

"Once again, he doesn't know how to say 'please'," Mai grumbled.

Ichiro gently set Sumiko on one of the couches. She smiled at the boy, "Thank you, Ichiro. I've adjusted to the presence now. But could you do me a favour?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Would you help the others bring in their equipment? I was planning to help them myself, but I don't think Rin will let me," Sumiko looked a little shy to ask the favour of the boy, raising her eyebrow as he chuckled. "Why are you laughing?"

"No. It's just so much like you to ask a favour for someone else. I have yet to see you ask one for yourself," Ichiro grinned. Sumiko chuckled.

Naru cleared his throat, "Thank you for the offer, but that won't be necessary."

Sumiko raised her eyebrow, incredulous, "You can't expect your employees to carry _all _of that."

"They have done so before," Nauru told the girl.

"Then consider it a favour from us," Sumiko offered.

"That isn't necessary. Carrying the equipment ourselves is included as part of our job."

"And helping others is part of _our _job."

"We don't need your help," Naru told her sternly.

"But you're going to get it anyways," Sumiko smiled sweetly.

For a few more moments the two stared other down, one face expressionless and the other smiling. Finally Naru sighed, "Do as you wish."

"Thank you," Sumiko smiled to him, "Now that wasn't too hard, was it." Naru chose not to comment as he turned away from the others, opting to read his notes instead.

"Well, well," Bou-san chuckled, "It looks like we've met one more person who can beat Naru in an argument."

"That was just priceless," Ayako grinned.

"Though I didn't expect Sumiko to beat Naru in an argument," Masako reflected.

"You can't judge a book by its cover," John quoted. The others simply nodded in agreement while Mai grinned.

"_Oh, you don't know the half of it,_" Mai laughed to herself, turning away so the others couldn't see her expression.

"Well, I don't pay you to stand there," Naru glared, still mourning his defeat, "Bou-san, Mai, John and Yasuhara, accompany Lin-san to get the equipment. Matsuzaki-san, Hara-san, please do a walk-through of the house."

"If you need any help, just call me," Sumiko told them.

"Oh no, you don't," Rin glowered at Sumiko, "You're still weak."

Sumiko pouted while the others laughed. "Don't worry. We can handle it," Bou-san ruffled her hair, raising his eyebrow when the girl looked up at him shocked, "What is it?"

"You patted my head," Sumiko said slowly as though she didn't believe it.

"Oh, sorry," Bou-san moved his hand away quickly.

But Sumiko shook her head and smiled at the man, "It felt nice. It reminded me of my father."

"Oh," Bou-san looked so relieved Sumiko didn't mind that the girl laughed to herself.

"But where are your parents?" Ayako asked.

"Well, my father passed away when I was 5 due to an illness and my mother died in a car accident when I was 8," Sumiko smiled gently as though they needed comfort instead of her.

"Oh, we're sorry," John was filled with sympathy for the girl along with everyone else. It was obvious now how she and Mai got along so well. They could understand each other's pain and loneliness.

Sumiko surprised them by laughing lightly, "There's no need to apologize. You're not the reason they're gone. It's because their time has ended and when mine ends, I will be able to meet them again. It's as simple as that." The girl gave a warm smile, her eyes gentle as she looked at the others. They couldn't help but give a smile in return.

"So how about we get to work before Naru yells at us again?" Yasuhara stretched as he walked towards the door, Lin-san and Ichiro already having left.

"That's a good idea, Shounen" Bou-san grinned, joining the boy.

"Then we'll head off then," Ayako said, walking out with Masako.

Mai tossed a quick worried glance at Sumiko, hesitantly going to the door to join the others. "Mai," Sumiko called quietly. Mai wordlessly turned to face her friend. The black-haired girl smiled gently, "I'll still be here. I promise."

Mai looked at her before breaking out into a grin, nodding, "Un!" With that, she ran off to join the others.

**Well, that's chapter 3. Sorry if it's focusing on Sumiko a little too much. I just find her a really interesting character since she seems to be revealing new sides of herself to me. So I'm learning about her just as much as you are. So thanks. ; )**


	4. Chapter 4

hapter 4

"Oh man," Mai groaned, rubbing her back as she sat down beside Sumiko, "One day, I'm going to seriously hurt myself carrying all that equipment."

Sumiko chuckled as she began moving her hand in circular motions on Mai's back, "Does this help?"

"Yes," Mai sighed blissfully before sending her friend a grin.

"You're good at taking care of people," Bou-san commented as he drank the tea Rin had provided.

"Why, thank you," Sumiko smiled at the older man.

Yasuhara chose this as the time to come in, "Oh, Bou-san, Sumiko, how could you two cheat on me?"

"Wait, what?" Bou-san had thought Yasuhara would leave him alone after finding Sumiko, but apparently not.

"You were two-timing me, Yasuhara," Sumiko playfully gasped, "How could you?"

"Oh dear," Yasuhara sighed though a grin was tugging at his lips, "I didn't mean to reveal that little fact."

"You were hiding this from me as well? I don't think we can stay together anymore," Sumiko turned away, pretending to hide tears.

"Oh please," Yasuhara kneeled down in front of her, grasping her hand, "Forgive this foolish man. You're all I would ever need."

Sumiko turned back, "Do you mean it?"

"Of course, my love."

"Oh, how could I stay angry at you?" Sumiko sighed, placing her hand over his. Then they looked at each other grinning before bursting into laugher.

"Good to see you getting along so well," Ayako grinned, walking in with Masako, who looked a little pale, but otherwise alright.

"Could you sense any spirits?" Naru asked the medium.

Masako nodded weakly, "It's a woman in her late twenties."

"Do you think you could convince her to move on?" John inquired.

The medium shook her head, "No. She's too angry and sad. I don't think she'll listen to me."

"Can you still feel her?" Mai asked. Sumiko nodded silently.

Naru turned to the three, "I think it's about time that you told us how you can feel this spirit."

Sumiko sighed, "I've always been able to tell who is around me. Even if I closed my eyes, I could use the changes in the air and the vibrations in the earth to tell what's going on around me. But in this house, there is one presence that is clearly not human. It is a thicker than air, but still not solid. It overwhelms my senses when I feel it since I'm still not used to it."

"Do you have to use it?" Lin-san asked. He was curious about the girl's ability.

Sumiko nodded, "I don't have a choice."

"Do animals overwhelm you?" Ayako asked.

"No. After all, there are animals everywhere and they're similar to humans in many ways. Besides, I live with Kago by my side everyday," Sumiko explained.

"Speaking of Kago," Mai looked around, "Where is he?"

"I asked him to join Ichiro and Rin, who went to the children. After all, I have enough people taking care of me here and I want the others to be safe," she told her friend.

"Somehow I can't see him leaving you," Yasuhara smirked.

"He wasn't too happy with it," Sumiko laughed, "But I told him that I would be perfectly safe with everyone around me."

"Well, you _do _usually get in trouble when you're alone," came an unfamiliar voice.

Sumiko turned to the direction of the voice, "Oh, welcome back, Noriko. Is Izumi back as well?"

"Yep," a young woman in her mid twenties walked into the room, "She wanted to check on the children first." The woman had ebony hair that reached her shoulders with matching eyes. She had a playful but reliable sense to her that made you think of her as an older sister.

"Alright," Sumiko nodded and gestured to the others, "This is the SPR team I told you about."

"Introduce them to me when Izumi comes. It'd be too tiring to introduce yourselves twice," Noriko told them before smiling in a friendly manner, "But thanks for coming. It's a big help."

"That won't take long. She's almost here." Everyone turned to look behind Noriko.

'Izumi' appeared at the doorway, not surprised to see everyone looking her way, "I see Sumiko alerted you of my arrival." They nodded. The woman was clearly at least in her sixties. Her pure white hair tied into a bun while her piercing sky blue eyes took in the visitors. She had a dignified sense about her that made you automatically respect her. Despite her old age, this woman was not to be taken for granted. She seemed like a strict grandmother who didn't show her affection too much, though you always knew she cared about you.

"Now that you're here, I can introduce the team," Sumiko called out the team members' names while pointing them out respectively, "Ayako, Bou-san, John, Masako, Yasuhara, Lin-san, Mai and their boss Shibuya, otherwise known as Naru by his employees." Naru seemed to be annoyed that his nickname was mentioned, sending a glare at Mai who had been unable to stifle her giggle.

"Thank you for coming," Izumi bowed to the team, "Your assistance is much appreciated."

"The pleasure is ours," the team bowed in return.

"Izumi, Noriko, come and sit," Sumiko brought over two chairs.

"Thank you, child," Izumi sat down before looking over the girl with concern, "Are you sure you're alright though?"

"I am fine," Sumiko smiled.

"Like I'll believe that," Noriko scoffed, "Last time you said that, it turned out you had two broken ribs."

"None of my vital organs were pierced or anything so I didn't see any reason to bring attention to it. And besides, I did go to the doctor," Sumiko waved it off.

"Yeah, but you didn't tell us you weren't supposed to strain yourself until after you collapsed," Noriko pointed out.

Sumiko chuckled, taking her seat at the couch, "Details, details."

Noriko was about to argue more when Izumi interrupted, "You shouldn't argue with her. In eighteen years, no one has been able to convince her otherwise. And besides, it seems Shibuya-san has some things he wants to ask us."

Naru nodded, "Has anything happened to you other than what Sumiko mentioned?"

"No. We've both experienced things flying at us and being trapped in rooms, but nothing else," Noriko told him.

"Was there anything unusual you noticed?"

"The temperature decreased considerably," Izumi said after a moment's thought.

"Come to think of it," Sumiko mused, "It was mainly Noriko and I who were trapped. Then Izumi and the older female orphans."

"Sumiko was definitely the one who faced most of it," Noriko sighed, "Flying objects and being trapped in rooms happens almost every time she visits. I think she's become the new target."

"Target?" Mai spoke up. Naru raised his eyebrow at her, but she ignored this. Her friend's well-being mattered much more than Naru's disapproval.

"Sumiko told you of how 'accidents' fall upon a specific woman until they leave, right?" Izumi asked the girl. Mai nodded. "Well, Sumiko seems to be the one those accidents are aimed at now."

"And you didn't tell me this why?" Mai glared at her friend.

"It wasn't something we were sure of, Mai. I didn't want to give you simple speculations," Sumiko shrugged. Mai grumbled to herself about how smart her friend could be yet unable to take care of herself. Sumiko laughed, patting her friend's back.

"Wait, does that mean we have to take care of two 'Mai' now?" Bou-san moaned.

Sumiko laughed again, "I assure you Mai and I are quite different. She has no idea that there is danger when she walks into it. I do know that there's danger when I walk into it."

"And that is better how?" Ayako asked dryly.

"Simple. I won't walk into danger if there isn't any reason."

"So if no one else is in danger, you won't go to face it," Yasuhara summed it up.

"Exactly."

"I'm sure we'd all prefer it if you didn't go and face it at all, Sumiko," John sighed.

Sumiko simply smiled her reply. It was clear that she wouldn't budge on this.

Naru returned to his questions, "Have the children dealt with it as well?"

Noriko nodded, "Most of them have had something happen to them."

"But we've already questioned them," Izumi sighed, "Nothing that hasn't happened to us has happened to them."

"Actually," Sumiko came in, "A few of the children mentioned that they felt 'something strange' before being trapped in a room and having something fly at them."

"Could we speak to these children?"

"Un," Sumiko nodded, "I'll get them after they finish their lunch."

Izumi stood up, "Then I better get started on helping them cook."

Noriko followed suit, "I'll join you. The children deserve something special in return for having to deal with not only ghosts, but that old coot."

Masako raised her eyebrow, "Who is 'that old coot'?"

The three women exchanged looks. "Well," Sumiko seemed hesitant, "We weren't planning on mentioning this since it has nothing to do with the spirits."

"It's only a matter of time before they meet him," Izumi rationalized, "They might as well know."

"So who is this person you are talking about?" Mai asked.

"Well, a man by the name of Maenma Mashiro has been coming and harassing us. He was the first to offer to buy this house, but the previous owners didn't like him so they sold it to us instead," Noriko sighed, "He simply won't leave us alone. We've been able to the children away from him."

"Have you called the police?" Lin-san frowned.

"The police don't want to get involved," Sumiko sighed, "He has done them a few 'favours' to keep them away."

"You mean he's bribed them," Bou-san said angrily.

"But lately due to the spirit, he has been saying that we are cursed and such," Izumi told them, "This area is a bit superstitious as well so though they may like us, there are those who will side with him. That's why we need this place to be exorcised. Then we will find a way to deal with him."

"How? The police won't help you," Ayako asked.

"Oh trust me," Sumiko grinned, "We'll find a way." The group felt chills at her voice. It held a dark undertone that would make anyone fear her.

"Sumiko! Could you come here? The children are getting too restless!" A young girl's voice called from a distance.

"Sure," Sumiko called back, her voice back to normal, "I'll be right there!" Then she turned to Noriko and Izumi. "I'm to head off first." Sumiko then turned to the group, "We'll call you guys over when it's time." With that, she rushed off.

Before anyone could say anything, Izumi raised her hand to silence them, "I know you have questions, but now's not the time to ask them or answer them. All you need to know is that the only way to bring out that side of her is if she feels her friends are in danger." And she walked to tend to her jobs.

Noriko was about to follow when she remembered something, "If Maenma comes, don't be surprised to see Sumiko's eyes closed."

"Wait, why would she have her eyes closed?" Bou-san asked, but Noriko had already gone.

"Well, this just got complicated," Yasuhara commented.

"Why would anyone harass them?" Mai was absolutely furious, "They're just helping others! They haven't done anything wrong!"

As a priest, the fact that someone was cold enough to do this struck a chord with John, but he couldn't say anything. Masako however noticed his sorrow and moved to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. He gave her an appreciative smile.

"We know, Mai," Ayako sighed, "But some people are just like that and we can't change them as much as we wish to."

However Mai was not quelled, "Why does Sumiko have to hide her eyes? It's not fair! Why does she have to be put through this because some old man can't deal with it? Why does she have to be hurt over and over again?"

"What are you talking about Mai?" Bou-san frowned. "What do you mean 'hide her eyes'?"

Mai didn't say anything. Instead she just stood up and walked out of the room, muttering, "I'll be with Sumiko if you need me."

"What's going on?" Masako asked. The entire group was puzzled. They had never seen Mai act like this.

"And what did she mean by 'hurt over and over again'?" Yasuhara had come to care deeply for the playful girl who joined him in his little skits.

None of them could come up with an answer. There was clearly more to Sumiko than anyone here knew. Now if they only knew what.

**Ooo! Secrets! Don't you love them? If you want to find out more, wait for the next chapter. I might reveal a few. *eyes twinkle* **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Um," a girl who looked about eight timidly walked into the room. The SPR team had just finished setting up the equipment. Naru had told Bou-san, Yasuhara and John to set up the cameras. It had taken them longer than usual without Mai helping them and of course no one had offered to take her place.

"Yes," John smiled at the young girl, "Who might you be?"

"My name is Kanna," she smiled shyly, though the girl was much more encouraged by John's welcome.

"Is there something you need?" Ayako asked gently, careful not to scare away the child.

"Sumiko-nee-chan asked me to tell you that dinner is ready," she spoke quietly.

"Kanna," a boy around eleven ran in, panting.

"Karu-nii," Kanna turned to look at the boy, "What is it?"

"Didn't I tell you not to go off on your own?" Karu scolded the girl, "You might have been hurt."

"Sorry," the girl bowed her head, "I didn't think anything bad would happen."

Karu sighed before patting the girl on the head, "It's okay. But you have a tendency to get hurt so don't go anywhere alone. Kay?"

"_Another Mai, huh,_" Bou-san mused.

"Un," Kanna nodded, eased by Karu's gentle words.

Then Karu turned to the SPR team, "Sumiko-nee-chan also said to mention that your friend Mai is alright and with her. She said you would worry about her."

Yasuhara grinned, "So Sumiko is the same as us when it comes to Mai, huh."

"Well, Mai is a bit of ditz, you know," Masako smiled behind her sleeve.

Karu chuckled at that. Even Kanna gave a little giggle despite her shyness. "Well," Karu still had a little smirk when he called to them, "you should come. We'll show you the way to the dining room." Everyone got up and followed the two children, including Naru and Lin-san. When they arrived, much noise greeted them.

"Sumiko-nee-chan, where do I put this?"

"Noriko-oba-chan, do we have some other drinks?"

"Izumi-obaa-san, how do I cut this?" **(A/N: 'Izumi-obaa-san' refers to 'Grandma Izumi' and 'Noriko-oba-san' refers to 'Aunt Noriko'.)**

"Oh my," John looked awed. The children were everywhere, working to set the table. It was a huge room with many circular tables, already set. But the most incredible part was how three women could manage all this. Though the children were clearly used setting the tables, there is bound to be some trouble in controlling them. Yet the three women made it look easy.

"Just watching those kids makes me dizzy," Ayako rubbed her forehead.

"That's just because you're an old hag," Bou-san told her. _SMACK! _"Ow! What was that for?"

Before another argument could commence, Mai came in laughing, "Shouldn't you guys set a better example for the kids?" The SPR team looked over the girl. There was no evidence of her previous mood.

"You skipped out on your job, Mai," Naru told her.

"Hey, doesn't investigating count as part of my job?" Mai argued.

"No, that's _my _job, not yours," he rebuffed.

"And why is that?" Mai crossed her arms in defiance.

"Because," he said as he walked past her, "it requires intelligence, which you do not have."

"Why you bastard!" Mai had to be held back by Bou-san.

"Oi, oi," Bou-san sighed, "You're not setting that great an example either."

Yasuhara laughed, "Mai-chan is as funny as ever."

Mai sweat dropped, muttering "I wasn't _trying_ to be funny, you know."

"Ara, you're here," Sumiko walked over to them, now accompanied by Kago, "You can choose any of the tables to sit at."

"Nee-chan," Kanna tugged the woman's sleeve.

"What is it, Kanna?" Sumiko smiled reassuringly at the young girl.

"Um," the girl blushed, ducking her head before saying the rest in one rushed breath, "Could I sit with you?"

Sumiko slowly moved her arm to rest her hand gently on the girl's head, "I would like that." Kanna beamed up at her. The older woman smiled softly at the girl before looking at Karu, "Would you mind joining us, Karu?"

Karu looked surprised though pleased, "I would love to!" Sumiko chuckled lightly, moving her other arm to pull the boy close to her. Karu blushed faintly though he was clearly happy at the close contact.

"_It's no wonder the children like her,_" Yasuhara thought to himself, "_She knows exactly how to act and what to say to make them happy._"

Sumiko smiled at the two children before looking at the team, "Would you care to join us? It seems Naru and Lin-san have chosen one of the quieter tables in the back corner." She nodded to where Naru and Lin-san were sitting.

"Yes, we love to join you," John spoke for the entire team. All of them were beginning to like Mai's friend more and more after seeing the kind way the girl treated those around her.

"Then follow me," Sumiko walked towards one of the center tables that had no one sitting at it. The dinner conversation was filled with laughter and jokes. Sumiko was often called away by one of the children. It was clear why she sat at the center so she could easily reach everyone who called her away. It was a miracle that she managed to finish her lunch. But when she was at the table, the laughter seemed to increase through her teasing and jokes, especially since Sumiko and Yasuhara never seemed to get tried of their little skits.

xxxxxxxxxx

Mai sighed. She thought she wouldn't be bored when she came here. Everyone else was talking, but Mai didn't feel like joining in since she was waiting for Sumiko. Sumiko had said that she would come to them with the children who had felt a strange presence when she and the others finished putting all the plates away. Mai had offered to help, but Sumiko had told her that Naru might need her. "_Yeah right,_" Mai huffed, "_There's no way Naru would need me except for my tea. Come to think of it, he hasn't asked for tea in a while._"

"Mai, tea."

Mai groaned, "_I just had to jinx myself._" She got up, "Does anyone else want tea?" Everyone raised their hands. Mai nodded and went off to make tea for everyone. "_I wonder if Sumiko will be there,_" she wondered as she approached the kitchen.

Sure enough Sumiko was there, washing the last of the dishes. She looked up at Mai, "Hey. Why are you here?"

Mai moaned, "I'm the tea servant again." Sumiko laughed as she walked to the cupboards to retrieve the tea and kettle and handed it over to Mai. "Thanks, Sumiko," Mai began heating the kettle.

"You know," Sumiko began slowly, her eyes twinkling teasingly as she returned to her duty of finishing up the dishes, "They say a man's favourite tea is the tea that is made by the woman he loves. Perhaps that is the case here."

Mai blushed, "No way! That's impossible!"

"You should believe in the power of love, Mai-chan~" Sumiko put on her cheesiest accent.

Mai laughed, trying to hold it in so she spill any of the tea by accident, "Okay, that was just weird."

"You say the sweetest things," she changed her accent into a southern one.

Mai couldn't hold it in. She could barely stop laughing enough to make the tea without spilling anything. "You really need to stop doing that," Mai gasped out.

Sumiko chuckled, "Nah, it's nice to see you laugh. But I'm going to go and get the kids who felt the presence. I'll meet you at the base."

"Un." With that, they headed off in opposite directions. Mai rushed to the base since she knew it wouldn't take Sumiko long to find the children. "Hey guys, I brought the tea," she called as she entered the room, bringing Naru his tea first.

"Thank you, Mai," John smiled.

"No problem," Mai handed everyone their tea, leaving one cup for Sumiko on the tray. Then she sat down, taking one cup for herself.

"You're not going to fuss over Naru's manners," Bou-san raised his eyebrow. Even Naru had been surprised when she had simply left without commenting on the lack of 'thank you'.

"I didn't really think of it," Mai shrugged.

"Now that's new," Ayako said.

"Is it because you were thinking about Sumiko?" Yasuhara asked her.

Mai nodded, "I was just talking to her. She'll be here with the children soon."

"That's why you brought the extra cup of tea," Masako realized.

"Un," Mai agreed, "She'll be here any minute now." As though on cue, children's voices could be heard approaching the base, mingled with Sumiko's.

"These are the children who felt the strange presence," Sumiko told them as she entered with the children and Kago. She called out the children's names as she placed her hand on their shoulders respectively, "You've already met Kanna and Karu. This is Sayo, Kenji and Kashi, who just arrived this month."

Now looking at them more closely, Kanna and Karu were clearly siblings. Both had blackish brown hair with light brown eyes. But Kanna was obviously more shy and unsure while Karu had a more confident feel to him. It was probably this difference that made Karu protective of the younger girl.

Then there was Sayo. She was the same girl who had asked about the SPR team when they had first arrived. She had light ginger hair with matching eyes. She looked like a cheerful girl albeit a bit fierce.

Standing beside her was Kenji, who had brown eyes and hair. He had playful carefree look, which came with an aura that said 'the devil may care'. The boy seemed like the type that would make a game out of anything.

Finally there was Kashi. He stood farther away from the rest. The boy didn't seem like he enjoyed being touched by people, shrugging off Sumiko's hand as soon as it landed on his shoulder as though he didn't care about what the older girl thought. He had black hair with eyes that seemed to reflect a dark gold-like colour. The boy had an off-putting aura that surrounded him like a cloak. He gave them a callous look as though warning them to not try and get close to him.

"_Wow,_" Bou-san looked over the black-haired boy, "_Talk about being in a rebellious stage. He's worse than Naru._" Everyone clearly felt the same way as they glanced at Kashi.

Mai tried to ease the tense atmosphere as she bent over to ask the ginger-haired girl, "Hey, Sayo-chan. My name is Mai and these are all my friends. I'm an old friend of Sumiko, you know."

"Really?" the little girl gave a bright awed smile.

"Yup," Mai smiled.

"How long did you know Sumiko-nee-chan?" the boy called Kenji asked.

"Since we were 8 years-old," Sumiko answered him.

"Wow," Karu breathed.

"So you're actually an old hag. Right, Sumiko-_nee _-_chan_?" Kashi smirked, his tone showing the comment was meant as an insult.

But Sumiko chose to not pay attention to the tone or the glares that the children were shooting him for insulting her, "Right! I am an old hag, who has lived so long that I know all the curses in the world. So be careful or else I might turn you into a frog." She gave him a playful grin, to which Kashi responded with an angry frown as he saw her unaffected by his insult.

Ayako intervened to distract them, "So how old are you guys?"

"I'm eleven years-old," Kenji grinned, giving them a thumbs-up.

"I'm the same age as Kenji," Karu said as he nodded to Kanna to respond.

"I'm eight," Kanna responded shyly. Sumiko placed her hand on the girl's head as though saying 'Good job'.

"I'm nine," Sayo told them enthusiastically before saying Kashi's age as well, knowing he wouldn't do it himself, "Kashi's 13 years-old."

"Th-thirteen?" Bou-san, Mai and Ayako cried out.

"That was rude, you guys" John sighed, making the three stutter apologies. Masako simply hid her shocked face behind her sleeve.

"_I can't blame them though,_" Yasuhara thought as he looked at the boy, "_I would have guessed he was ten at oldest._"

Sumiko smiled gently though a bit sadly, "Before now, he was a foster home, where . . . Well, he wasn't treated as well as one would have hoped."

"I doubt it will be any different here," Kashi muttered though he didn't bother to make it quiet enough so that the others didn't hear.

Ayako changed into her doctor mode, "But if you give him the proper food, he'll be fine in a few years. I also can get some vitamins that will help him if you want. I am a doctor."

Sumiko gave the woman a grateful smile, "If it isn't too much trouble, please do. We would really appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it," Ayako waved it off.

Naru spoke up, "So shall we get down to business?"

Sumiko nodded, "Yes." She went to retrieve some chairs for the children, herself and one of the SPR team members. As there was only a one-seat couch, two-seat couch and three-seat couch, there wasn't enough room on the couches for all of them even with Lin-san still at the monitors.

"I'll help with that," Yasuhara grabbed a couple of chairs.

"Oh, you don't need to help," Sumiko told him, "I can handle it."

"No way," Yasuhara gave her a cheeky grin, "It's an insult to my pride as a man."

Sumiko laughed, "Then please do help. I never want to insult the pride of such a masculine person."

"Why, thank you," Yasuhara gave a slight bow, making Sumiko laugh once more as the two set up their chairs.

"Well, we need three more," Sumiko took one chair.

"Then I'll take these two," Yasuhara grabbed two more chairs.

"Is your pride as man making sure you carry the most?" Sumiko grinned.

"Nope," Yasuhara bent closer to whisper in her ear, "I simply want to help my favourite woman." With that, he went to put away the chairs, leaving Sumiko shocked.

"_What did he mean by his 'favourite woman'?_" Sumiko looked at him as she placed her chair beside the others, "_Oh boy, I know what this feeling I'm getting is. Now that's interesting._" Sumiko smirked to herself, amused by her reaction. She never had been the type to complicate things, instead preferring to keep things simple by thinking, 'That's just the way it is'. "_And thanks to the fact that I think like that, I'm not blushing like crazy,_" Sumiko thought as she sat down in one of the chair with Kago sitting down at her feet. The children all clambered onto the chairs as Mai sat down in the spare one beside her friend. Naru sat in the one-seat couch directly in front of them with the two-seat couch holding the women and the three-seat couch holding the men.

"So, tell me about the strange presence you felt," Naru asked them.

"It was really weird," Sayo recalled, "It was like I felt kind of queasy, but not bad enough that I needed to complain about it."

"It was the same for all of you?" Naru addressed all of the children. They nodded.

"Once when we were in the living room, I remember thinking that something bad was going to happen," Karu told them, "and when Kanna told me she felt the same way, I just decided we should get out of there."

Kanna continued, "Right after we left and closed the door, we heard something hit the wall. When we looked inside, we saw a chair had somehow managed to fly across the room and hit the wall."

"How did you know it flew across the room?" Mai asked.

"That's because all the chairs in the living room are on one side and the wall it hit was on the other side," Sumiko explained.

"Try to refrain from asking stupid questions, Mai," Naru told her.

"Why you–" Mai's next words were muffled by Bou-san's hand.

"Calm down, Mai. You don't want to say anything that might pollute the kids' minds," Bou-san laughed. Mai gave him a glare before gesturing that she wouldn't say anything. As soon as Bou-san released her, she gave Naru the most menacing glare that she could muster.

Sumiko moved her hand in circular motions on Mai's back to calm the girl, "Relax, Mai. You're scaring the children."

"Fine," Mai muttered.

Sumiko chuckled before turning to Naru, "It seems they have the same alertness to danger as I do."

John looked surprised, "You can sense danger?"

Sumiko nodded, "Though I have to say, the way the children sense danger _is _a bit different from mine. When I sense danger, I don't get queasy or anything. It's more like as soon as I wake up, I just know. I don't know what's going to happen or anything, but I do know that I should be prepared and try to stay alone so whatever danger approaches me doesn't reach anyone else."

Naru nodded before speaking to all of the children, "Has anything else happened that you would like to mention?" They shook their heads.

"So now that you're done," Kashi spoke for the first time, "can I get going?"

"You seem impatient," Ayako raised her eyebrow, "Do you have some friends you want to get back to or something?"

Kashi shook his head, "No. I'm just going to my room anyways. That's what I always do."

"Then why are you in such a rush to leave?" Masako inquired.

"I just don't want to be irritating people like her any longer than I need to," Kashi nodded to Sumiko, showing that she was the one he was talking about.

Sayo was furious, "How could you say that? You should be grateful to Sumiko-nee-chan!"

"For what?" Kashi scoffed, though by the way his body tensed, it was clear that he knew what she was talking about.

"It's because Sumiko-nee-chan protected you with her own body that you weren't hurt! She was in a lot of pain because of that and this is how you treat her?" Sayo glared at the boy, seething.

Kashi gritted his teeth, "I never asked her to protect me!" He ran out of the room.

Sumiko stood up, "If anyone is looking for me, tell them that I'm with Kashi and that they should wait unless it's urgent."

"Did I push it too far?" Sayo looked up at the woman, worried, "I've never seen him act like that no matter how much I scolded him."

Sumiko smiled gently, patting the girl's head. "No, I think I can finally understand why he acts like that. But I need to talk to him now," she said to Sayo before talking to all of the children, "However when I'm finished talking with him, he might need you guys to be there for him. Will you do that?" They nodded.

"But I don't get it, Sumiko-nee-chan," Karu sighed, "He's always given such angry looks at you yet you still care about him. You don't even seem to notice his glares."

Sumiko chuckled lightly, "How could I notice something that I can't see?"

"What do you mean, Sumiko?" Bou-san asked, sharing a confused look with everyone in the SPR team. That sentence had caught everyone in SPR team's attention, even Lin-san's. Only Mai seemed to understand what Sumiko had meant, making the brown-haired girl look at her friend sadly.

"Mai, will you explain it to them for me?" Sumiko turned to her old friend.

Mai nodded, "Alright."

"Thank you, Mai," Sumiko smiled at the girl before addressing the children, "Now, why don't you go play?" The children smiled before running off. Sumiko chuckled before turning to constant companion, "So how about we go see our friend, Kago?" The wolfdog simply got up silently as indication of his agreement. Sumiko smiled at him before waving good-bye to the others. With that, the pair walked out of the room.

"So, Mai," Naru turned to the young woman sitting before him, "It seems you have things that you need to explain to us."

Mai smirked, "_This is going to be interesting._"

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Kashi, can I come in?" Sumiko knocked on the slightly open door. Silence was her only answer. "_So he's ignoring me, is he,_" she mused, "_Well, at least he didn't scream at me and shut the door._" She pushed the door open enough for her and Kago to get inside before shutting it. The lights were off in the room so that the setting sun was the only source of light, not that it made a difference for the two. Kago had his wolf genes in him, allowing him to see in the dark just fine and Sumiko had her ability to discern what is where. Kashi's bed was the farthest from the door and closest to the window. Kashi was sitting with his knees drawn up near the front of his bed. **(A/N: In this case, the front of the bed would be the side opposite to where the pillows are.)** Sumiko walked over to his bed, "May I sit down?" He didn't respond so she quietly sat on the side, gesturing for Kago to sit down as well. He laid down with his head resting on his paws as his tail curled up close to him. A few moments passed filled with silence with none of them attempting to make a conversation.

Kashi snuck a glance at the woman sitting near him. She came here to talk to him, didn't she? Then why wasn't she talking? Soon Kashi couldn't bear to keep the silence up: his curiosity and annoyance urging him to ask. "Why are you here?"

"I just have a few questions." She said it so casually as though the boy she was asking hadn't insulted her at every chance he had.

"So what is it?" Kashi didn't want to stay with her in the room. Something about her was so . . . calm. It made him want to put up the walls he built around himself and tear them down at the same time. It was so confusing.

"Why do you want to hate me?" Kashi was paralyzed with shock. He hadn't known what to expect, but such a question showed so much _truth_ despite being something that searched for the truth. She hadn't asked 'Why do you hate me?' but instead 'Why do you _want to_ hate me?' How could she tell? How could she know that he was trying to make himself hate her?

"What are you talking about. I _do _hate you." He did, didn't he?

"No, you don't," she sighed, "If you did, you wouldn't mind the fact that I got hurt protecting you so much. At least not in this way." How had she figured out that it hurt him to see her hurt?

"Why would I care about _you_?"

"Are you asking me or are you asking yourself?" Who _was_ he asking?

"You are an infuriating person, you know. So annoying the way you always say the stupidest things." If he insulted her, she should back off, right? Instead of continuing to see all the truth in him. Instead of making him feel all these confusing emotions.

"I see."

That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. "What's wrong with you? Why don't you feel insulted? Why do you keeping trying to reach me?"

"Why do you keep trying to push me away?"

"Because you're all the same! All of you just see me as money or something! None of you see me!"

"How could I?" she asked as she lay back onto the bed.

What was with the way she said that? So quietly and calmly that it was . . . almost sad. He couldn't help it: he turned to look at her, "What do you mean?"

She turned to look at him with a soft smile, her eyes reflecting something that he had never seen in her eyes. Or perhaps something that he had never recognized in her eyes– sadness. "Kashi, how could I see you when I can't see anything at all?"

Kashi felt his eyes go wide. He couldn't breathe for a moment. Her? The person who could see the truth when no one else could? She was . . .

"Sumiko, you're blind?"

**OH! MY! GOD! Sumiko is blind? I guess you'll have to wait until the next chapter for more! ;D**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Back at the base_

"SHE'S WHAT?" Bou-san and Ayako yelled. John was paralyzed with shock as Masako forgot to cover her mouth with her sleeve. Yasuhara was blinking profusely as though it could make everything seem clearer. Even Lin-san and Naru were staring at Mai, unable to believe what she had said was true.

Mai groaned. She had expected this though their yelling didn't make it easier to bear: instead it gave her a huge headache. "You guys heard what I said. Hoshizuki Sumiko – you know, the girl with the overprotective wolfdog – is blind." She gave them a few more moments to process her words. She knew it was hard to take.

Masako realized, "So that's why she _has _to use her ability to sense vibrations, even if it overwhelms her." Mai nodded.

"I didn't know . . ." Bou-san spoke quietly.

Mai sighed softly, "She didn't want you to know. It always strikes people as a weakness or something and makes them treat her differently. She wanted you guys to get to know her before telling you since then you would have a better chance of understanding."

"That's understandable. Most people are like that," Ayako spoke softly.

John smiled, "She really is incredible. To be filled with so much kindness despite her problems."

Mai chuckled, "You have no idea. This is just part of her problems. I have quite a few more that would surprise you even after this kind of shock."

Naru looked at her, "But you aren't going to tell us." It wasn't a question, just a statement. Mai gave a pleasant smile as her answer.

"Was she always blind?" Yasuhara inquired.

Mai shook her head, "No. It was an accident that happened when we were 10. There was this house, a really old one. Some kids went in to poke around and Sumiko felt the danger. She ran in to see that the ceiling of the room one of the kids was in was about to collapse. She managed to push the kid out of the way, but the ceiling fell on her instead. It hit her head really hard. She fell into a coma."

"At the office, when you were talking about her being on a hospital bed barely alive, you were talking about this, weren't you?" Lin-san guessed.

Mai smiled, "You heard us, huh."

"Hard not to when you're yelling," Lin-san smirked ever so lightly, though it was more teasing than insulting so Mai didn't mind.

"So when she woke up, she was blind?" John deduced.

Mai nodded, "Un. The connection between her brain and her eyes was damaged."

"Will she ever see again?" Ayako questioned.

Mai sighed, "We don't know. It's possible that the connection will heal, but the longer it takes, the more unlikely it seems."

"Is it hard on her?" Masako asked, albeit a bit reluctantly, "Too not being able to see?"

Mai looked away, "There were things she held close to her because they allowed her to get away from taking care of others. She could just rest. But those were taken away from her when she lost her sight. She's probably found other ways to find that rest, but I know it isn't the same."

John sighed understandingly, "I suppose to most, it wouldn't seem like that big a deal, but she's always taking care of others so it isn't just something she wants, but rather needs."

Mai nodded, "Un. That's why it's probably the one of the worst things about losing her sight. Though there were other things. . ." The last part came out bitter and angry.

"What are you talking about, Mai?" Yasuhara looked at her sharply. Though no one else had yet to notice, he already knew he had feelings for the girl. And with those feelings came a protective instinct that was part of his nature as a guy.

Mai sighed, "Do you guys know what Sumiko's eye colour is?"

"Yeah, it's black," Bou-san raised his eyebrow, not understanding what Sumiko's eye colour had to do with anything.

"_Pure _black," Mai spoke quietly, "When she lost her sight, her already-dark eyes darkened even more so that they blended in with her pupils. It scares people to see black eyes, making them say she's cursed or something. Some people have even tried to hurt her because of it. Even some of those she knew before she lost her sight began to stay away from her. And that includes all the kids she had to say from that old building, though at least the boy she saved had a little decency." She growled the end, still furious.

"That's ridiculous!" Ayako was outraged, "Since when did it matter what her eye colour is?" Everyone nodded their agreement, all of them angered by the treatment that Sumiko had received. Mai stayed silent though she clearly felt the same way.

"That's why she has to keep her eyes closed," Masako spoke softly.

Lin-san looked to Mai, a thought having struck him, "Wait, Mai. You said that people tried to hurt her. How did she protect herself? Did Kago or one of her friends protect her?"

Surprisingly Mai grinned, "Though Sumiko _did _have a number of friends to protect her, they weren't there all the time and she only met Kago two years after the accident."

"Then how?" Bou-san was puzzled.

Mai chuckled, "Well, let's just say there aren't a lot of people out there who can take Sumiko down. Not surprising, seeing as she had those two for parents."

"Those two?" John raised his eyebrow.

Mai simply smiled, "That's a story for another time."

"Mai, tea." It seemed that Naru had been waiting for all the talking to be done to ask. Though, Mai didn't really notice that.

Mai shot him a glare, "Yes, Your Majesty."

She stood up and walked out of the room the same way she usually would after getting angry at Naru. Lin-san had the sneaking suspicion that Naru had done that on purpose so she would go back to normal. But as usual, he kept his opinion to himself, though he did allow himself a secret smile: one that Naru luckily missed.

Yasuhara on the other hand had other thoughts on his mind. He turned to Naru, "I'll be outside if you need me." He waited to see Naru nod before leaving.

Naru turned to the others, "Bou-san, I want you to perform an exorcism at the kitchen after Mai is done with the tea. John, you will do an exorcism in the living room."

"Why these two places?" Bou-san asked.

"Because these two places are where the most accidents have occurred," he waited to see the two men nod before turning to Ayako, "Matsuzaki-san, I want you to make warding charms to place on the walls. Make some for the women as well, especially Sumiko since she seems to be the target. Hara-san, I want you to accompany her so you can tell her if there are any spirits."

"Gotcha," Ayako said as Masako nodded. Before they would have turned up their noses at being forced together, but they have long since put aside their differences.

"Matsuzaki-san," Naru called, just as the four were about leave, making them all stop and look back.

"Yeah, what is it?" Ayako asked. It was rare for him to call her.

"Do you think you will be able to use the trees in this area for an exorcism, if needed?"

Ayako sighed, "To be quite honest, I don't know. These trees confuse me."

"What are you talking about?" Bou-san raised his eyebrow.

"You see, normally when I meet trees, they are more like dormant spirits. But these spirits seem awake, though not in a bad way. It's like they are awake because they have someone important that they want to protect."

"Has someone been communicating with the spirits?" John asked.

"I don't know," Ayako told them, "But you know, somehow it feels like they were about to die a while ago. And something – or rather someone – revived them."

"Was a spell performed?" Lin-san asked. He didn't know a lot about tree spirits, but he did know that they were different from your usual spirits. Healing them was something he hadn't heard of.

Ayako shook her head, "I can't sense any trace of a spell. Trust me, I've looked. But you know that tree spirits thrive on purity. It's more like someone's presence was so pure that it revived them. And because of that, I can't be sure they'll listen to me since their loyalties clearly lie somewhere else. But I can't tell you anymore than that."

Naru nodded, "We'll look into this later, but for now, you all should go do whatever I asked you to." They nodded and left the room to do whatever job was assigned to him.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Yasuhara walked around the side of the building, where he can hear the children playing, "_I wonder where Sumiko is._"

As if on cue, he saw Sumiko near one of the trees, Kago and Kashi by her side. She gave the boy a gentle smile and a little push towards the other children, as though encouraging him. He gave her a doubtful look and when she whispered something, he relaxed and nodded, giving a tentative smile. With that, the boy ran off while Sumiko watched, leaning against the tree.

"_Hm, it seems like his entire character just changed,_" Yasuhara mused, thinking back to the moody boy they had known before. He briefly debated over walking to Sumiko and just leaving her alone, deciding to join her in the end.

As he approached, Sumiko turned to look at him, "Oh, Yasuhara. You're here."

Yasuhara shrugged, a small grin on his face as he leaned on the tree as well, "Thought I would join you."

"I would like that," Sumiko smiled before turning to Kago, "Why don't you join the children? I think it might be easier for Kashi to adjust if you're there as well." Kago nuzzled her hand gently before galloping to the children.

"Oh, I think I'm getting jealous," Yasuhara sighed, though his twinkling eyes gave him away.

"You don't need to be jealous, my love," Sumiko touched his shoulder, trying to stifle a smile, "No one could be better than you."

Yasuhara placed his hand over hers, "Your words warm my spirit." Both of them laughed. They never got tired of their little skits, especially when it teased so many of their friends. Then Yasuhara nodded to Kashi, "So you told him about your sight."

Sumiko nodded, "Un. That got him to listen to me."

"What did you say to change him like that?"

"He hasn't changed, Yasuhara," Sumiko told him, "He's finally showing who he really is, unhindered by anger."

"So what did you say to make him show his true self?"

"To put it simply, I just told him that if he wanted people to see him for who he is and treat him the way he wants, he's just going to have to _make_ it happen because no one will be there to do it for him."

"And I suppose you speak from personal experience."

It wasn't a question, but Sumiko answered anyways, "That I do."

"Are you going to tell me anything else about what happened?" Yasuhara raised his eyebrow.

"Sorry, but privacy is part of my service," Sumiko winked.

"You shouldn't keep secrets from your husband, my dear."

"I ask for forgiveness and understanding this time."

"I suppose I can this time as long as there isn't any cheating involved."

Sumiko laughed, "I assure you: I'm only interested in _grown_ men."

Yasuhara's eyes danced, "Do I suit your idea?"

Sumiko smirked, "You're practically identical."

For a few moments, they stood silently, watching everything around them. "So?" Yasuhara started, "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything other than my three sizes," Sumiko joked.

Yasuhara sighed dramatically, "I guess I'll have to wait for that one. But I do have one other question."

"Then shoot."

Yasuhara turned to face her, "What do you miss the most about seeing?"

Sumiko was silent for a few moments as though she was considering it before finally speaking, "The sky."

"Why?" Of all the answers, Yasuhara had not expected this one so he was curious to why she chose this answer.

Sumiko smiled and looked up at the sky. She reached up with one hand as though trying to grasp the sky. "It's always there: an eternal presence. And even though it changes as time goes by, it always goes back to what it was at first. It's something I know I can depend on. But now," she clenched her fist, "it's all black. I can't see the changes anymore. I can't see it return to its original form anymore. I can't see it anymore. That entity that was supposed to always be there for me to lean on."

Yasuhara looked at the sky as though he was contemplating something, silent for a few moments before "Then can I take its place?"

"Eh?" Sumiko looked at him, taken back by his words.

But Yasuhara just continued to look at the sky, "You said that they sky was the '_entity that was supposed to always be there for me to lean on_.' Can I be that 'entity' instead?"

Sumiko just gawked at him for a few moments. Then she started laughing uncontrollably.

Yasuhara looked at her, surprised, "Why are you laughing? Did I say something weird?"

Sumiko shook her head, unable to stop laughing. Yasuhara just stared at her as she finally brought herself under _some_ variation of control, wiping away her tears of laughter. She covered her mouth with one hand, trying to keep herself from bursting into laughter again. She took a deep breath, a smile still playing at her lips as she turned to look at him, "It's just that I've never really been able to depend on a person. That's why I needed the sky, but no one really offered to be the replacement. Though they said that I could depend on them and such, it always seemed like a temporary fix. But when you said it, it seemed so permanent. The fact that when it finally happened, it would be so simple amazes me."

"So is that a 'Yes, you can be that entity,'?"

Sumiko laughed lightly, "I guess it is, but I want to ask you a question myself."

"If you agree to call me 'Osamu'," Yasuhara told her, adjusting his glasses jokingly.

She smiled, "Alright, _Osamu_. Does my blindness change the way you feel about me?"

He turned to the sky again, "It does."

Sumiko looked at him, surprised before turning away. The way he had acted now had made her think that it was not so, but she had wanted to make sure. She sighed. She shouldn't have expected that he wouldn't think differently about her now that he knew about her sight. "_I guess I should be glad I asked, but it feels a lot worse since I have feelings for him._"

"I've fallen even deeper in love with you."

She gasped, turning to face him. He had the most casual look on his face as he looked back at her. Sumiko smiled, raising her eyebrow, "Is that a confession, Osamu?" using his first name on purpose.

Yasuhara smirked. He moved in front of her, pressing one forearm above her head as he leaned into her ear. He dropped his voice to an intimate whisper, "Yes." He watched her as her body became lax, her eyes looking into his breathless. He felt an urge to pull her close, but he resisted it, part of him unable to understand how such a small woman could bring out such a primal response from him. "So what is your answer?"

"I'm glad," she looked away, blushing ever so slightly, "to know you feel the same way as me."

"Which means?" Yasuhara grinned. He would never forgive himself if he let her go without a little teasing.

She blushed even more, her accepting way of thinking clearly not helping her at that moment, "I love you."

He smirked as he took his other hand out of his pocket to pull her close to him, making her to look up at him, "Good."

Then he kissed her.

* * *

**OMG! I can hear fangirls screaming. Well, one or two more chapters before this ends. Hope you enjoyed it so far. Oh and I'm sorry that it took so long. My cousin's wedding is this Sunday and I'm one of my culture's versions of bridesmaids. So sorry, but I'll do my best. ; )**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"_Where am I? Oh, it must be one of my dreams." Mai looked around at the darkness. "And that means Gene should be here."_

"_Mai." _

_She spun around to hug her spirit guide, "Gene! I missed you!"_

_Gene grinned, "It's good to see you too, Mai. How have you been? How's that narcissist treating you?"_

"_I'm fine and Naru . . . Well, he's the same idiot scientist as always." Mai groaned, "I think I'm starting to hate tea."_

_Gene laughed, "Well, we can't have that. Maybe if you smack him over the head, it'll help." _

_Mai sighed, "Wouldn't that just get me fired?"_

"_That's true," he reflected before smirking, "Or you could get your friend, Sumiko to do it. She doesn't seem to be afraid of him."_

_Mai smirked as well, "So you know about her."_

_Gene chuckled, "I'm not just standing around when you're awake. What am I going to do? Watch 'Ghost TV'?"_

_Mai laughed at the idea. She looked up at Gene. He was watching her concernedly. Mai raised her eyebrow inquisitively, "What's wrong?"_

_The boy sighed, "There's something I need to show you. It's going to be hard to watch, but you need to know about it." _

_Mai remained silent for a few moments before nodding determinedly, "I can handle it."_

_Gene nodded, smiling slightly. He turned to his right, "Look over there."_

_Mai obliged, steeling herself for whatever she may encounter. Mai's eyes widened at the sight. It wasn't something sorrowful. Instead she saw a beautiful woman sitting at a desk, a pen in her hand. She had black waist-length hair tied loosely in a ribbon and fair skin, which was wrapped in a deep red kimono with pink blossoms that suited her incredibly well. But what stood out the most was that hopeful shine in her brown eyes and the blissful smile on her full lips._

"My dear friend, Naneri,_" the woman read aloud the words she was writing, "_It's so incredible. As you know, I have only had two reasons for living my entire life: to live with the man I loved and have a child. And now I think they both may come true. He is such a wonderful man. I knew it had to be him from the moment we met. The way he said my name was so beautiful. Even though all he said was my name, I couldn't help but blush, my breath taken away. Now that I've met him, I know I will never be able to love another man. No one can fill my heart the way he has. And now my family has decided that I am to be married and is looking for someone! He has assured me that we both will be together and he will talk to my father. Oh, Naneri. How wonderful that would be! To be married to him! I would be able to fulfil both of my wishes: to live and have a child with him. That would make me so happy: even happier than I am now. I will not let this chance get away from me. Even if Father does not agree, I have resolved to elope with him. Only after I am married to him and have a child will I return. Then Father will have to accept it! But I do hope it does not come to that. I am glad that I have your support at the very least. I will write to you soon. I am sorry to end this letter so soon, but the doctor that was coming to keep me a check-up is here. He is going to make sure that my body is suited for a marriage. I can't wait for your visit. It's been so long since your family moved away and we were able to see each other. Please come soon. Love, Miyako._"_

"_I don't understand," Mai furrowed her eyebrows, "What does this have to do with the case?"_

"_Mai, she said that her only reasons for living were to give birth to a child and marry the man she loved. What if those two were taken away from her?" Gene explained, imploring her to understand._

"He is so patient when he explains. He doesn't try to make me feel stupid, unlike Naru,_" she thought, wishing for the hundredth time that Naru wouldn't be so mean while also wishing he stayed the same. Why did her thoughts have to be so confusing? Then Mai shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking about things like this. She needed to think about the case. Mai closed her eyes, thinking before gasping, her eyes shooting open as a realization struck her, "Oh my god! Don't tell me those dreams are going t o be taken away from her! It couldn't!"_

_Gene didn't say anything. Instead he looked back in the direction they had seen the woman, "Watch." Mai reluctantly turned to watch as the scene changed._

_The woman was still there in her room: only now the shine in her eyes had vanished, replaced by tears as she wept uncontrollably, her hair hanging loose and unkempt. Instead of wearing a vibrant kimono like before, she wore a black kimono with black roses threaded in sliver thread embroidered on it. _

_Her heart wrenching sobs tore at Mai's heart. She tried to go and comfort the woman, but Gene held her back. "But Gene, we have to do something," Mai pleaded. But Gene shook his head, though his eyes carried a deep sympathy. Whether it was for the woman or Mai, she didn't know._

"_This has already happened, Mai," he told her, "You can only watch."_

_Mai painstakingly turned back to the heartbroken woman, every cell in her body telling her to go to the woman, though she resisted, no matter how much she wanted to give in. Mai watched as the scene of the past continued._

"_Why?" the woman cried, "Why me? All I ever wanted was a child and him. Why must that have been taken away from me? Why must I be the one born barren when my only reason for living is to have a child with the man I love?" _

"Oh my god,_" Mai gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, "_She's . . . sterile?_" Mai could feel her own tears coming forth. How could fate be so cruel? Mai watched as the woman wailed at her loss until she couldn't take it anymore. She turned to Gene, begging for some kind of comfort for the woman, "Even though she's lost her chance at giving birth, she still has her lover, right? She'll be able to make it through, right?"_

_Gene said nothing. Instead he gave Mai a sad look that showed her it was not to be. Mai tuned back to the woman, her heart aching for the woman._

"_Miyako-sama? Please open the door." A soft voice came through the door._

_The woman didn't stop crying, but she managed to speak, "Where is Naneri?"_

_The voice hesitated before speaking, "Naneri-sama . . . she's not here."_

_The woman's head shot up, tears still streaming down her face, "Why? Naneri wouldn't leave me: not when I'm like this." When the voice didn't speak, the woman yelled at the voice, "Tell me why! Why did she leave? Tell me the truth or I will have you fired!"_

"_She eloped," the voice spoke quietly, trembling, "with the man who had been asking for your hand in marriage."_

_The woman whispered, "No . . . That's impossible. The only one who was asking for my hand in marriage was him and he would never leave me. We loved each other. YOU"RE LYING!"_

_The voice whimpered, begging frantically, "I'm not lying, Miyako-sama! Please believe me. I only speak the truth!"_

_The woman went silent before saying calmly to the voice, "Leave me."_

"_But Miyako-sama–"_

"_Please, Akane," the woman ordered, though her voice was soft. The voice, Akane seemed uncertain before slowly walking away. After the woman was sure Akane had left, her tears began to fall even harder. She covered her face with her hands, whispering "Why?" over and over again. It remained the same for a long time: with the woman crying while Gene and Mai stood by helplessly. Eventually, the woman looked up, but when she did, her expression had completely changed._

_Mai gasped, "_God . . ._"_

_Though the tears were still there, her eyes had become hard and cold, the hopeful shine that had been filled with life gone. Without saying anything, she got up and moved to her desk, opening a drawer. She pulled out a small box wrapped in white silk. Slowly, she sat down at the desk, setting the box on it. After unwrapping it, she lifted the lid away to reveal a small knife with cherry blossoms engraved on it. She lifted it gently, her eyes softening for a moment as she spoke. "You gave me this knife as a gift when we joined in our love. It was like you gave me life," then her eyes hardened again, "But now that our union has been taken away, I will also take away the life you gave me . . . with this knife that you gave as a symbol of our love." The woman moved the knife so it was pointed at her chest._

_Mai's eyes went wide when she realized what the woman was going to do. She ran forward to stop the woman, screaming, "No!"_

_But Gene held her back, "You can't do anything, Mai. This is the past. It can't be changed." Though he said that, his teeth were clenched tightly, showing he too didn't want this to happen. He pulled her close to him, covering her eyes with one hand, "Don't look, Mai."_

_Mai gripped on the arm that was wrapped her body as tears streamed down her face. "No . . ." _

_The woman spoke once more, "Good-bye."_

"_No . . ."_

_She pushed the knife into her, screaming in pain as the symbol of their love pierced through her heart._

"_NOOOO!"_

_Miyako died on the same day her dreams died._

**Sorry this one is shorter than the others, but I thought it would be best to end it like this. Sorry it takes so long to update. It's because this story didn't turn out the way I wanted that I kind of have a hard time going back to it. That's why I'm ending it soon. Thanks for reading. See ya. **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mai sat up straight, waking up in a cold sweat and breathing hard. Tears ran down her face as she struggled not to make any noise that would wake the other two women in her room. A few moments passed before she heard someone approaching the room. For a split second, she worried that it might be a spirit before remembering she wouldn't have heard the spirit if she was coming. Mai quickly wiped away her tears, ready to put on a fake smile for whoever came. She watched as the door, which had already been slightly ajar, opened even wider. Instead of seeing one of the SPR team, Kago walked in, an envelope in his mouth. He came over to her bed.

"What is it, Kago? Is that a message from Sumiko?" Mai asked the dog quietly, though she knew he couldn't answer. Mai pulled the letter out of the envelope and read what it said.

'_Hey, Mai. Why don't you come over to my room? I'm still awake even though it's 2:00 am and I need some company. We can drink some tea together. Kago will show you the way. P.S: This is almost like a romantic love letter: two star-crossed lovers preparing to meet up under the moonlight. – Sumiko_'

Mai smiled. It was just like Sumiko to say they were like star-crossed lovers. She had always a teasing tone even in her letters. Mai had long since realized it was so those around her could relax and calm down. And right now, it was working perfectly just like it always had. She set the envelope down on her bed after placing the letter back in it and threw off the covers. She turned to Kago, getting off the bed, "Alright. Lead the way, dear messenger of the star-crossed lovers." Kago made a sound that seemed akin to a chuckle as he turned and walked away, occasionally looking back to make sure that Mai was following. Mai looked around the dark hallway as she walked forward, "_It's so creepy at night. The only light is coming from the moon and that's not really a lot to go on._" Mai shivered as she remembered that spirits are more active in the dark, "_I don't know if this place could get any darker. I can barely see Kago._" Her eyes shifted to the wolfdog in front of her, "_But even if I can't really see him, it feels safer when I know that he's here . . . almost like Naru._" Mai shook her head, blushing, "_Why am I thinking about a guy like that? Stupid, stupid Mai._" Like that, she berated herself until the two reached Sumiko's room.

Mai knocked on the door before opening it to be polite, even though Sumiko was the one who had invited her and knew she was coming. The room was dark, but there was enough moonlight being let in by a clear sliding door, which led to a small balcony. Sumiko was wearing a plain white kimono with sliver ribbons outlining it. She turned around, a smile breaking out on her face as she saw her friend, "Ah! Mai, you're here." She was holding a tray with two cups of tea, which she quickly set on top of the drawer beside her bed before hurrying over to the other girl. "What are you doing there?" Sumiko pulled Mai's hand, "Come and sit with me. I've already made the tea."

Mai laughed as the two sat down at the edge of the bed, "You are always so energetic at night." Kago walked over and lay down near the foot of the bed.

Sumiko joined in with her laughter, handing Mai a cup of tea and taking one for herself, "Hey, it's not my fault. My parents and I always went out at night to look at the sky and play under the moon." For a brief moment, Sumiko smiled softly with a wistful look on her face before chuckling. The two simply sat there, enjoying each other's presence as they drank their tea. After placing both of their empty cups on the tray again, she turned to Mai, her expression now gentle and kind, "So do you want to talk about it?"

Mai's head whipped around surprised. She knew that her friend was talking about the dreams. Mai had told Sumiko about her dreams before and how she often had them during cases, but she hadn't expected her to guess that she had one tonight. "My dream? . . ." Mai felt a stab of pain in her heart as she remembered the dream.

Sumiko reached out and touched Mai's cheek, using her thumb to wipe away tears Mai hadn't realized she was shedding. "Mai, I'm here," she whispered softly.

That undid her: Mai burst into wails as she threw herself into Sumiko's arms. Sumiko simply held Mai, stroking her hair as she let out all of the pain contained within her. For a long time, they stayed like that with the only sounds being Mai's sobs. "Sumiko . . . it was terrible . . ." Mai wept, "She was so kind and hopeful . . . Miyako didn't deserve that!"

"Didn't deserve what, Mai?" Sumiko asked gently.

Mai just cried for the first few moments, though Sumiko didn't push it: she just waited, still holding the girl soothingly. Eventually Mai gathered the ability to speak again, though the tears didn't stop nor did she move away from Sumiko's comforting arms, "Her only reasons for living were to have a child and live with the man she loved. But then she found out she was barren. She was so heartbroken, but then she found out her lover had run away with her best friend: the one Miyako had trusted so completely! And then she . . ."

"Hush, little one," Sumiko whispered, using Mai's nickname from her parents on purpose, "You don't have to say anymore."

"Why, Sumiko?" Mai cried, "She only wanted to have a child with the man she loved! Why did that have to be taken away? Why do all these terrible things happen to the kind people? You, Miyako, all of you have done nothing wrong! So why?"

"Oh, Mai," Sumiko looked at the girl sadly, "_All this time, your pain for me hasn't decreased at all . . ._" She sighed as she looked up at the ceiling for a few moments, contemplating. Then she looked back at the girl as she tilted Mai's head up so that she was looking at her, "Mai, listen to me. Everyone has an obstacle they must overcome in order to become truly content. They all _can_ overcome it, but not all of them choose to because they are too afraid, which is sadly what happened to Miyako. In my case, it was the loss of things important to me so I could learn to treasure what I have. I may feel sorrow at my losses, but I don't regret anything in my life. I treasure the wondrous gifts in my life. And that includes you, Mai: our dear little one. Do you understand?"

Mai felt even more tears run down her face, but they both understood it was because of both sadness and acceptance. Mai buried her head in Sumiko's chest once again, letting her tears fall. They remained in that position for a while, this time the room was almost completely silent except for the occasional sniffle from Mai. In time, Mai lifted her head and wiped away her remaining tears, having calmed down, "I should go then. We both need to sleep."

Sumiko smiled and shook her head, "No need. You can sleep here. I always sleep on the floor anyways." She gestured to a futon in front of the sliding door.

Mai shook her head anyways, "I can't do that. Besides, the others will worry if they see that I'm not there."

"Did you leave the letter there?"

Mai thought for a moment to remember before replying, "Well, yeah, but . . ."

But Sumiko wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, "Then there's no problem. They'll see the letter and know where you are. If they need you, they can come here. I'll be awake anyways since I don't sleep much so I can answer all their questions."

Mai sighed, "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

Sumiko smiled cheerfully, "Nope."

Mai laughed before climbing into the bed. After Sumiko made sure her friend was comfortable, she turned to leave. But Mai called out to her, making her turn around, "Sumiko! Um, well . . ."

Sumiko raised her eyebrow at Mai's blush, "Yes?"

"Well," Mai's blush deepened as she rushed her next words, "Could you stay with me? Until I go to sleep?"

Sumiko looked shocked for a second before smiling softly, "Sure." Sumiko sat down beside Mai, lifting her hand to stroke the girl's hair in a calming motion.

Quickly, Mai could feel sleep overtaking her, but before she went to sleep, she murmured, "Sumiko."

"Yes?"

"Thank you . . . for everything."

Sumiko smiled and leaned forward to gently kiss Mai's forehead, "No problem." Mai smiled one more time before falling into a peaceful dreamless sleep. Sumiko chuckled to herself, "_She always has been kind despite how vulnerable she is._" She got up as she spoke quietly so not to disturb her friend's sleep, "Come on, Kago." The wolfdog got up and followed Sumiko to the futon, where she sat down, leaning her back against the edge of the sliding door. Kago lay down beside her, this time resting his head on Sumiko's lap as she tenderly moved her fingers through his fur.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Nn," Ayako awoke slowly to the sound of the alarm clock's insistent ringing. She sat up, rubbing her eyes tiredly, "Masako, Mai, it's time to get up."

Masako rose, having already been aroused by the alarm, "Good morning, Ayako, Mai."

But there was no voice from Mai's bed in the center. Normally, she muttered a grumbled 'good morning' despite the fact that she would fall back asleep right after. "Mai?" Ayako raised an eyebrow, turning to Mai's bed, "Mai!"

Masako looked over at Ayako's panicked voice, only to have the same reaction, "Mai!"

Ayako raced to the washroom, "She's not here either!"

Masako climbed out of bed hurriedly and hurried to the door. She ran out of the room and looked around the hallway, but the only people that she was were Bou-san, Yasuhara and John. "_Where is she?1_" Though Masako didn't show it often, the girl was like a sister to her and Masako didn't want to lose her.

"Hey, Masako," Bou-san called to her, already dressed.

John looked at the restless girl, "What's wrong? You looked troubled."

"Mai's missing!" Masako blurted out.

"WHAT?" Bou-san yelled.

Yasuhara's eyes widened before he dashed in the direction of the base, "I'll get Naru!"

Bou-san nodded, before rushing into the girls' room, Masako and John quickly following behind him. "Did you find her?" Bou-san asked Ayako worriedly.

"No," Ayako shook her head, "She's not in the washroom or anything!"

John sighed, trying to be calm and finding it an incredibly hard task, "Let's look for clues. We might be able to find out where she is." The others nodded since it was the only sensible idea they could come up with. But in a few moments, Naru appeared with Yasuhara by their side, Lin-san presumably having stayed to watch the monitors.

"What happened?" Naru asked.

"We don't know," Ayako answered, "When we woke up, she was just gone."

Naru said nothing in reply. The two women were agitated enough: there was no need to say anymore and make it worse. Instead he walked to the center bed, "This is where Mai slept?" Ayako just nodded.

John's eyes went wide when he realized what Naru was thinking, "Naru, you cannot use your powers! It's too dangerous."

"He's right," Yasuhara agreed, "Besides, Mai would hate herself if you got hurt because of her."

But Naru wasn't listening, now stretching his hand out to the bed.

"Naru!"

But instead of resting his hand on the bed, he simply picked up an envelope, which had been hidden under the pillow, only a corner showing as the white paper blended in with the matching white sheets. He pulled out the letter in it, quickly reading it before sighing exasperatedly.

"Wait," Bou-san looked confused, "What happened? What does it say?" Naru didn't say anything, simply handing the monk the letter. Bou-san skimmed over the letter before yelling, "WHAT?"

"What? What does it say?" Ayako asked anxiously.

"Apparently, Sumiko invited Mai to her room in the middle of the night for a cup of tea!"

"Then she's probably still there," John smiled, thankful that the girl was okay.

Masako was relieved but still a bit uneasy, "Should we go check on her? To make sure she's still there?"

"She's still there," Sumiko's familiar voice came as she entered the room, accompanied by Kago, "I asked her to sleep in my room since I never used the bed anyways."

"What were you thinking?" Bou-san asked angrily, too caught up in his worry to care about what he was saying, "You should know spirits come out at night and I'm pretty sure that 2 am still counts as night-time! She could have been hurt!"

"That's why I sent Kago to deliver the letter. I know he wouldn't let any harm come to her," Sumiko told them coolly.

Ayako was also too occupied with her fury to think about her words, "What could he do? He's just a dog!"

"_Wolf_dog, to be precise," Sumiko smiled pleasantly as though they weren't yelling at her.

Masako lost her temper, "Are you a moron? How could you act so calm? You shouldn't go calling people to come to you just because you need company when they could be in danger! That's just selfish!"

"That's enough, you guys. She didn't do anything to hurt Mai," Yasuhara said defensively.

"Yes so please stop yelling at her," John asked. Bou-san, Ayako and Masako sent them a glare, which told them to shut up.

Yasuhara was about to say more, but Sumiko touched his shoulder, whispering quietly so only he and John could hear, "Osamu, John, thank you but please don't get in a fight with your friends. I'll handle this." Yasuhara was about to protest, but she had already turned to face the others. "She wasn't in danger. I wouldn't let that happen," Sumiko told them softly.

Naru decided to come in at that point. Though it didn't show, he was also angry at the thought of Mai being put in danger because of this girl. He didn't care if she was Mai's friend or their client: all that mattered was that Mai was almost hurt because of her. "And what could a blind girl like you do? You could never protect her from spirits," Naru spoke coldly, "I thought you were actually smart enough to know that. But obviously I was wrong. I can tell now that you are just a stupid girl who doesn't deserve our service when she clearly doesn't understand the meaning of hardship for if you did, you wouldn't take this issue so simply."

Yasuhara was about to tell Naru he was going too far when he heard a menacing growl that couldn't have from a human. Everyone turned to in the direction of the sound, all going pale at the sight. Sumiko looked down at her companion, "_Kago . . ._"

The patient calm creature from before had disappeared. In his place, there was a frightening being with a fearsome aura. Kago was baring his teeth furiously with his ears laid back as he stepped forward threateningly, his eyes glinting dangerously. Everyone took a step back, even Naru. No one wanted to be near the canine any longer, his wolf side showing rather clearly.

"Kago," Sumiko called gently, "Calm down, my friend." Kago looked at her, not losing his aggressive pose, though his ears were less firmly laid back than before. Sumiko smiled, bending slightly to run her hand through his fur, "Thank you for getting angry in my place, but I'm actually very happy right now. It's clear that these people care very deeply for Mai. She deserves this after she's been through so much. So their words only bring me joy." Kago stared into her eyes for a few moments like he was assessing if she truly meant that before relaxing, though his eyes still carried a warning as he looked at the others. Sumiko chuckled before turning to the others, smiling warmly despite everything they said, "Unfortunately, I haven't told you everything so it's natural you would assume things. Though I did send for Mai through Kago, there is a reason I sent for her."

"A reason?" Bou-san asked, taken back by Sumiko's pleasant manner.

Sumiko nodded, her smile still in place, "You see, I know of Mai's dreams and how much they can affect her. So I sent Kago to bring her this letter if she looked upset from a dream. Using what she told me before, I was able to estimate that she would wake up around 2 am. And I didn't want her to deal with this by herself so I asked for her to come to my room. When she reached the room, I could easily tell that it had hurt her deeply. Then I was able to find out what was wrong and give her the comfort she needed."

"That's why you called her?" Ayako asked slowly.

"Un. And as for the idea of her being in danger on her way here, I think you can see why she wouldn't have been in danger." Sumiko chuckled, jerking her head in Kago's direction, "I don't think ghosts are suicidal despite already being dead." She laughed lightly before looking at Naru, "I don't want Mai to have to speak of the dream again so why don't I tell you about it when everyone gets ready? Mai's still asleep and I think that's for the best since she had a rather stressful night. I'll meet you all at the base." With that, she walked out, followed by Kago as she left the others behind shocked.

Yasuhara turned to the others, "You guys own her more than just an apology after that." John nodded his agreement before the two left the room.

"Damn," Bou-san ran his hand through his hair, "We are so stupid." Ayako and Masako sighed in their agreement while Naru didn't do anything. Though, the fact that he avoided everyone's eyes said more than enough. Now how were they going to make this up to the girl who had faced their cruelty with warmth?

**Those guys are mean! I hadn't originally planned to make them act so mean, but it seemed to fit. And I had wanted to make this more juicy so I would **_**want**_** to write more. But I wonder how they are going to deal with this later. I bet you can't wait. ;P Well, see ya then.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Bou-san walked in with Ayako and Masako trailing him. Naru had already gone ahead of them and was now beside Lin-san, watching the monitors. Yasuhara and John were sitting at the couch, talking to each other. They caught the eyes of the three who had just entered and nodded towards the window.

There Sumiko was sitting on the floor with a soft smile, Kago resting his head on her lap as she ran her fingers through his fur. As soon as Kago saw the three, his entire body visibly tensed before Sumiko whispered something to him, making him calm down again though he still watched them cautiously. But Sumiko greeted them with a warm smile, "Oh, looks like you're here. So shall we get started?" Kago moved so Sumiko could stand up.

The three avoided her eyes. Though it was clear that she was trying to make them feel at ease again, her smile just made them feel even guiltier. "Um, Sumiko," Bou-san started nervously, "About this morning, we're sorry. We were out of line."

Ayako sighed, rubbing the back of her head nervously, "It's just we were so worried about Mai that we said such cruel things without realizing."

Masako's eyes glittered with regret, "We didn't mean any of what we said. It just came out before we could think clearly enough to remember that you would never let harm come to Mai or any of your friends."

The three bowed, "Please forgive us." Though Naru didn't say anything, the fact that he had turned to face Sumiko showed everyone that he felt the same way. Apparently even he could feel guilt at what he had said, though he was too proud to meet it.

Sumiko blinked, clearly surprised at their apology. "You guys felt . . . guilty?" She raised her eyebrow as though puzzled by the prospect.

"Well," Bou-san looked at her confusedly, "How could we not feel guilty? We were so cold to you."

"But I said I was okay," Sumiko tilted her head perplexed.

"That doesn't excuse what we said," Ayako told her.

"We need to apologize to you," Masako said.

Sumiko watched them for a few moments. It felt like her eyes were not peering at them, but _into_ them. The three couldn't move, mesmerized by the girl's pitch-black eyes: eyes that were so reminiscent of black holes, just pulling you in. Then unexpectedly, she laughed lightly before looking back at them, her eyes shining with warmth. Everyone in the room felt shock at the tenderness in her eyes: even for her it was kinder than usual. "Thank you."

"Oh, I– Wait, what?" Bou-san gaped at her.

Ayako's eyebrows furrowed, "Did you just thank us?" The others looked at her, clearly asking the same question.

Sumiko chuckled, "The fact you still felt guilty despite me saying that I didn't mind shows that you care about me and that's more than enough for me. After all, finding people who truly care about you is a rarity." Then she smiled sheepishly as though she was the one who had done something wrong, "Actually even though I didn't lie about being happy you cared about Mai, I was a little hurt. Sorry. I should have thought it through." She bowed to them, "Please forgive my mistake."

Yasuhara hit his forehead, "Sumiko, you shouldn't be apologizing, you know."

Sumiko simply chuckled in answer before turning, "So how about we forgive each other? After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And I'm sure the same can be applied to friendships." They all stared at her before laughing except for Naru though his posture was more relaxed. Even Lin-san managed a chuckle.

"You are one incredible girl, Sumiko," John smiled.

"Why, thank you," Sumiko bowed jokingly.

"But," Masako came forth, "We would all like to do something for you to make up for what we did."

"And don't try to get out of this," Ayako warned, "We_ will _do something for you whether you ask or not."

Sumiko chuckled to herself. She thought for a few moments before looking at them with a red tinge in her cheeks, "Well if you don't mind, I have something I'd like to ask of everyone from the SPR team. Unless you find it too much trouble . . ."

Lin-san raised his eyebrow, "What would you like?"

"Well," she casted her eyes downward, "If you don't mind, could you come for a visit sometimes? That would be more than enough."

Once again, everyone stared at her shocked, but this time, Sumiko didn't meet their eyes. Bou-san grinned, "You couldn't stop us."

Sumiko looked up to see many smiling faces (other than Naru's). She beamed, "Un!" Everyone went over to her, talking with wide grins. Though Naru and Lin-san didn't join them, the fact that they didn't stop the others said enough about how they felt.

Eventually Naru cleared his throat, "If you don't mind, I would like to know about the dream Mai had. You are the one who offered to say it in her place so she didn't have to repeat herself."

"Wait a minute, Naru," Ayako crossed her arms, "Shouldn't you say sorry too?"

"Why bother?" Naru asked, still looking at his notes, "Everything's been forgiven, hasn't it?"

"The point, you brat, is–" Ayako began yelling before being cut off by a small laugh. They turned to Sumiko, part of them amazed while the other part wondered if they would ever stop being surprised by her reactions.

"Why are you laughing?" John asked, bewildered.

"It's just that for someone who owns a company at this age," Sumiko smirked slightly, "I find it amusing he would start pouting over something like this."

Naru sent a death glare and was about to speak before he saw Kago sending an even more murderous glare. Seeing as the dog was part wolf, he decided not to say anything and simply sat down, motioning to Sumiko to sit down as well.

Sumiko didn't wait for Naru to ask, "It seems the spirit that is causing this is a woman named Miyako who found out she was barren despite her only dreams being to have children and live with the man she loved. However when her lover found out that she was barren, he abandoned her, opting for her best friend. When she had her only reasons for living taken away, she killed herself."

"Wait, what does that have to do with her attacking women?" Bou-san asked.

"She wanted children. She was probably jealous of the women who were able to have what she did not," Naru gathered.

Lin-san agreed, "That would make sense."

"Then should we perform an exorcism today?" Bou-san asked.

Naru nodded, "No reason to wait."

"Be gentle with her," Sumiko advised, "From what I heard from Mai, Miyako is a very kind person."

"If she was so kind, then why would she attack people now?" Yasuhara asked.

"If spirits are left here long enough, they can begin to be influenced by the emotions of the humans surrounding them," Ayako answered.

"But why would the spirit only start attacking after the orphanage arrived?" Masako questioned, "For a spirit to be influenced this much in such short time there must be someone extraordinarily malevolent. From what I've seen, there is nothing that feels evil enough to influence the spirit this much."

"Do you have any ideas, Sumiko?" John enquired.

Sumiko thought over it for a moment before her expression darkened. "Maenma Mashiro," she growled.

"You mean that guy who has been bothering you?" Ayako asked, "Is he really that bad?"

"Like you can't imagine," Sumiko said angrily, "We've been trying to keep him away while you guys were here, but unfortunately he called and said that he would be arriving today. We hadn't mentioned it to you because we got the phone call around dinnertime and didn't want to ruin it for you."

"What are you going to do?" Masako asked worriedly.

Sumiko sighed, "We'll just have to deal with him like we always do. But I would like to ask that you wait for him to leave before doing the exorcism. I don't want you to have to deal with him."

"We'll wait," Naru said, surprising the others who had thought that he would disagree, "It would be harder to do the exorcism when a hateful presence is influencing the spirit and we can't risk him coming in halfway, which would interrupt the exorcism. But we will also come and see this 'Maenma Mashiro'. After all, it would be best if he left sooner than later."

"I think that's his way of making up for what he said," Bou-san told Sumiko with a smirk before gulping nervously at Naru's glare.

Sumiko chuckled, "Thank you, Naru. I do believe your presence will get him to leave faster if you were rude to him. I would appreciate it."

Naru smirked, "I'll keep that in mind."

"_Oh boy, She doesn't know what she has just invoked,_" the others thought until they saw Sumiko's expression, "_Okay, maybe she _does_ know what she has invoked._"

Mai chose that moment to run in, "Sorry, I slept in!"

"Good morning, Mai!" Sumiko greeted her, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yup," Mai nodded cheerfully as she joined her friend on the couch, "Thanks for last night."

"Don't worry about it," Sumiko smiled.

"How are you, Mai?" Ayako asked worriedly.

Mai looked at her and noticed that everyone was staring at her concernedly. She looked back at Sumiko, "Did you already tell them that I had a dream?"

Sumiko nodded, "I've already told them everything you told me as well so you wouldn't have to say anything."

Mai nodded, grateful to not have to repeat the dream. After Sumiko's comfort, she knew she could probably handle it without crying, but she still didn't have to remember it again. She turned to the others, smiling, "I'm fine. Sumiko took care of the worst of it. She even let me go to sleep in her bed so she could take care of me" She noticed that Bou-san, Ayako and Masako looked a little nervous and for a split-second she thought she saw Naru tense up, but when Sumiko gave them a reassuring smile, they seemed to relax, returning the smile. Mai turned to Sumiko, giving the other girl a questioning look, but Sumiko simply shook her head as though saying '_It's nothing_'. Mai studied her friend for a few moments, but let it go when the others started talking to her. Just as Mai was getting relaxed, she heard the dreaded words.

"Mai, tea."

"Is 'please' not in your vocabulary?" Mai asked him crossly.

"Mai," Naru sighed exasperatedly, "I have much too many words in my vocabulary to worry about that one. Perhaps it's because you don't that you keep thinking about that one word."

"I know more than that!" Mai said heatedly.

"That is something which is open to discussion. However if you are making tea or not, isn't."

Mai growled before she stood up to go and make the tea, muttering about 'ungrateful narcissists' and 'tea-addicted workaholics'. The others laughed before lapsing into conversation while Naru and Lin-san went back to their monitors.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ah, the tea-slave returns," Bou-san joked as the brown-haired girl walked in with the tray.

"Yes and she is very upset at the lack of 'thank you' she receives," Mai played along, placing a cup of tea beside Naru, who as usual ignored her.

"You know we love you and your tea," Yasuhara grinned as she poured tea for everyone.

"Yeah, yeah," Mai rolled her eyes.

"How could you doubt my sincerity?" Yasuhara sighed dramatically, "After all, we've been through."

"Oh my," Sumiko's eyes danced, "I hope you are not cheating on me, _Osamu_."

Yasuhara gasped playfully, "No, of course not, my love."

"'Osamu'?" Ayako raised her eyebrow.

"You two have gotten close, haven't you?" Bou-san teased.

"Yes, of course," Yasuhara grinned mischievously, "Would you like to know how close, Bou-san? I could give you a very sensual description." John choked on his tea, Masako patting his back while using her sleeve to hide her blush.

"Sumiko!" Mai looked at her friend, "Aren't you going to say something?"

"Nope," Sumiko smiled, clearly amused.

"Is that a 'no', Bou-san?" Yasuhara pulled on a puppy-dog face.

"No!" Bou-san yelled.

"Honestly, Sumiko," Ayako sighed, "Your reactions to most things are very different."

"I _am_ a very different person," Sumiko agreed.

"And that's why I love you," Yasuhara winked at her.

Sumiko laughed, "That's why I haven't changed."

John smiled, "Though I have to say, it's good to see you to getting along so well." Masako nodded, smiling from behind her sleeve.

"I hope they're not getting along _too _well," Bou-san muttered to himself.

"Shut up, you perverted monk!" Ayako cried. _THUNK!_

"Ow! What was that for, you old crone?"

"What did you say?"

Just as another argument was about to break out, Rin ran in, her expression enough to make everyone turn to look at the normally composed girl. "Maenma," she gasped, "He's here!"

Sumiko stood up, swiftly moving to the girl, "You should go and join the other children. Make sure they're alright." The younger girl nodded and ran off. "Come on, Kago," Sumiko said before turning to the others, who were already standing up to join, "You can always stay here, you know?"

Yasuhara grinned, "You're not getting rid of us that fast."

"Besides," Bou-san smirked, "Who's going kick his ass out of here when we're done?"

Sumiko looked at all those around her: it was clear they felt the same way. She turned back to the doorway, whispering quietly, but loud enough for the others to hear, "Thank you."

Ayako smiled, "You really do have the weirdest reactions: thanking us for something like this."

Sumiko laughed, looking back at everyone to give them a warm smile before she headed off, her friends supporting her from behind.

**Now we deal with Maenma, which means 'True Demon'. See ya next time!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Ah, so the blind girl arrives with her beast," a black-haired man in a black suit sneered as Sumiko and Kago to the front of the house accompanied by the SPR team, "And she's brought some friends? I didn't think a cursed person like you could have any." The SPR team gritted their teeth to bite back retorts to the man's words.

Kago clearly felt the same way as he growled low in his throat, baring his teeth slightly. Sumiko touched his head gently, not once looking away from the man before her. Though her eyes were closed, everyone except the man knew that she knew what was going on perfectly well. She smiled pleasantly at the man, though she felt like doing anything but that, "Maenma-san, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Don't play games," Maenma spat, "You know why I'm here."

"To be an annoying bastard?" Mai asked innocently, making those around her laugh. But the laughter vanished when the man slid his eyes to her, sending chills down her shine.

"Oh," he leered, "Who is this?"

He took a step towards her, but before the others could react, Sumiko was in front of Mai with a firm grip on the girl's wrist, Kago in front of both of them. Sumiko spoke quietly in a dark voice, "Don't come near _any _of them, Maenma-san."

"And I suppose you are going to stop me?" he smirked.

"If necessary," Sumiko told him.

Maenma laughed though no one could see what was so funny, "That is quite a bold statement, little girl, even for a witch like you."

"Excuse me, Maenma-san," Noriko addressed the man before her, "I would like to request you leave. We do not want the children to get involved with this."

"Well, aren't you little angels?" Maenma mocked.

"It's hard enough for them to take care of the children without any extra troubles. So why don't you leave them alone?" Bou-san glared at the man.

Maenma growled, "Do you think I am going to believe that they're running an orphanage out of the goodness of their heart? They're probably hiding something behind this nice scam of theirs."

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Izumi frowned.

"Oh, I have a very nice theory. You're probably running a brothel and using this place to hold all the illegitimate children they have," Maenma smirked before casting his eyes on all the females, "Though I have to say, it has quite a number of _quality_ women. I meet even drop in for a visit myself."

"How dare you?" Ayako's voice came out shrilly.

Before Maenma or anyone else could say anymore, Sumiko stepped forward, letting go of Mai's wrist and walking around Kago. "Sumiko–" Yasuhara began to call her back, but he was silenced by Sumiko's expression. "_What? Even though she's smiling, she feels angry._" When Yasuhara looked around, he saw that Maenma was the only one who hadn't realized Sumiko's change of mood. Yasuhara looked back at the black-haired girl, "_It's worse than when Kago was angry. It's silent, but so much more frightening because she's so calm. There are no clues to say that she's angry, but I doubt anyone could miss that aura if they knew her at all._"

Sumiko walked closer to the man, "As you know Maenma-san, I am blind. So if you don't mind, I'd like to see your face by using my hands."

Maenma smirked, "Sure. I am a kind man so I don't mind a cursed girl touching me."

Sumiko ignored his comment, gently tracing his face with one of her hands as she spoke casually, "Maenma-san, have you ever heard of the 'Blood Phoenix' and 'Dark Dragon'?" Everyone except Noriko, Izumi and Mai looked at her confusedly. What was with the sudden change of topic? "Ah, I suppose that was a stupid question. Who doesn't? But just in case, I'll tell you a little about them."

"_What's going on?_" Bou-san raised his eyebrow ponderingly before looking at Mai, "_She looks . . . sad. But why?_" He looked back at Sumiko, deciding the best way to know the answers to his question was to listen.

"They were special members of an agency that worked separately from the Police Department though they sometimes worked together. To be precise, this agency was called the 'CRA', short form for 'Crime Resistance Agency'. Most people don't know about this agency though it's not necessarily a secret: people simply preferred to not talk about it. This was because the CRA dealt with the most dangerous of people so in order to keep peace, they had to _fight_. The 'Blood Phoenix' and 'Dark Dragon' were part of the eight that were part of the elite squad: the strongest fighters in the CRA. They were feared so much that just hearing their names was enough to paralyze most in fear. But eventually they both left the CRA and got married. Together they gave birth to a daughter and her name was," she opened her pitch-black eyes, smirking, "Sumiko Hoshizuki."

The SPR team except for Mai looked at the girl in shock. This girl, who was kind to the point of foolishness, was the daughter of two of the most feared people in Japan? They looked at Maenma Mashiro. He was breathing hard and sweating in terror. They knew it wasn't just because of whom Sumiko's parents were, but also the look in her eyes. They couldn't see her face, but her aura was enough. Mai looked at her friends who had just found out about Sumiko's parents, "_Please God, don't let Sumiko get hurt again._"

But Sumiko wasn't done yet. She moved her hand so that her fingers touched his throat. "My parents didn't just leave me defenceless. They taught me a few tricks of my own and so did so of our friends from the CRA. Would you like me to show you a few, Maenma-san?" Sumiko asked sweetly, "But I can't guarantee that you will live because the temptation is _so strong_." She moved one of her nails swiftly across his throat. That was enough to break Maenma. He fell backwards in his haste to get away from her, his eyes wide with fear. "Leave and don't come back," Sumiko leaned close to his ear, "Because next time I don't think I will be able resist the temptation." As soon as she leaned back, he bolted away, screaming.

As they watched him disappear from sight, Izumi smirked, "He won't be coming back for sure."

Noriko laughed, "Man, I'm surprised he didn't wet himself."

"What goes around comes around," Mai sang, "Sucker."

Sumiko chuckled. She felt Kago nudge her leg and she bent down to pet him before turning to look at the SPR team, "_Now comes the real challenge._" She sighed and prepared herself for them to back away from her. She cast her eyes away despite the fact it didn't make much difference.

"That was incredible," Ayako spoke awed.

Sumiko looked at her surprised. She saw all of them were wearing expressions of wonder, surprise or something along those lines but never fear. "You're not . . . afraid?"

"Of course not," Masako rolled her eyes.

"We know you only did that because you wanted to protect those important to you," John smiled kindly.

"Just remind me never to piss you off," Bou-san smirked.

"But you having so much power is surprising," Lin-san observed, "since you are so small."

Noriko explained, "She uses her 'sight' to tell where the other person's weakest points and pressure points are. Then she uses speed to strike them before they know what's happening, leaving them utterly defeated as they lay paralyzed."

"And because of her small size, people often underestimate her so she uses that to her advantage as well," Izumi added.

"But that's not all she does," Mai grinned, "She often talks to them after she defeats them. Sumiko always knows what to say to comfort someone or make them understand. She uses that ability to convince them to not try to hurt others for no sensible reason again. And after she leaves, they always appear again to be near her because they either want to help her or are curious about her."

"Maybe you should become a priest," Bou-san joked, "John could always help you."

"She's a girl, Bou-san," John laughed nervously.

"You guys aren't . . . afraid," Sumiko spoke quietly.

"I believe we already said that," Naru deadpanned.

Of all the things they could have expected, they didn't expect to see tears falling from her eyes.

"Sumiko," Ayako rushed forward, "Why are you crying? Did we say something wrong?"

"Thank you," she whispered, "Thank you so much." She covered her face with her hands, "Sorry, I shouldn't be crying, but I'm so glad. I didn't want to your friendship and I thought you wouldn't want to be near me after that."

Bou-san began to say something, but he went quiet when he saw Yasuhara who had been silent the entire time walk over to her. Yasuhara didn't say anything to comfort her: instead he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "_Shounen?_" Bou-san was surprised. Though he knew the boy wouldn't mind comforting a woman, this seemed more intimate than usual. But Bou-san decided to save his teasing for later.

Rather quickly, Sumiko stopped crying and beamed at us. "Thank you. I'm fine now. I don't cry that much if I'm crying due to joy. Thank you, Osamu," she gave him a smile as she moved out of the boy's arms before turning to Naru, "So are you going to perform the exorcism now?"

Naru nodded, "Bou-san, you will be performing this exorcism. John and Matsuzaki-san will stay as stand-by. We would like to perform the exorcism in the living room so we will have to move all the furniture."

Izumi had no objections, "If that's what you need to do, then go ahead. Would you like us to take the children away while you perform the exorcism?"

Naru nodded, "Yes. That would be preferable."

"I'll join Izumi and take the children away now then," Noriko said before turning to Sumiko, "Sumiko, would you stay here so you can get them whatever they need?"

"I would be fine with that," Sumiko smiled, "You should take Kago so he can keep an eye on all the children." Kago let out a rumble in his throat as though disagreeing. She turned to Kago, "I'll be fine. These people have already proven themselves to you so you need to take care of the children. Those two can't look after all the children at the same time." Kago turned to the SPR team, studying them. Then he turned back to Sumiko as he made an action that looked a lot like a sigh.

"I guess we just passed the test," Yasuhara joked.

"Thank god for that," Bou-san grinned, "I hate to know what would happen if we failed."

Naru looked at them, "If you are done being useless, then how about we get ready?"

"Why you–" Sumiko clamped her hand over Mai's mouth before she could say anymore.

"Ara," Sumiko laughed, "We shouldn't say such terrible things when we are in the presence of children." Mai's body slumped in resignation as the others laughed at her reaction.

Naru turned towards the house, "As soon as you stop being stupid, bring me some tea."

The entire group began to laugh again as Mai began her struggles to yell at Naru once more.

**We'll start the exorcism next chapter. After that, there will probably be an epilogue. I will try to write a story a day so that in two days I will be done, but after that I will have trouble since my high school is beginning after those two days. **** Who wants to go to school when they can write stories for their awesome friends? Well, see ya next chapter then!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

They were all standing in the living room, Bou-san in the center wearing his traditional garments. All the furniture had been moved to the next room. Lin-san was conversing with Naru: probably something about the case. "Don't those guys think about anything other than work," Mai muttered, shaking her head as she looked at them.

"We're on a case right now, Mai," Masako sighed, "Of course they would be thinking about work. They actually have brains to think about."

"Are you implying that I don't?" Mai narrowed her eyes at the girl.

Masako lifted her sleeve to hide her smile, "Not implying, telling."

"Why you . . ." Mai glared at the girl.

Sumiko laughed, "That's so cute. The way you two fight to show how much you care about each other."

Ayako came into the room in time to hear that, John and Yasuhara following, "They're just like sisters."

"And the reason you aren't is because you're too old, right?" Bou-san smirked.

"Who are you calling 'old'?" _THUNK_

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Shut up, you pervert!"

Yasuhara laughed as he and John went to join Mai, Masako and Sumiko, "Their way of flirting is so amusing sometimes."

Ayako and Bou-san spun around. "I am _not_ flirting with this useless monk!" Ayako cried.

Bou-san agreed – at least on the 'not flirting' part, "Who would flirt with this crone?"

"What do you mean 'crone'?" _THUNK_

"Ow! Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Is that how you address a lady?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't aware that I was in the presence of a lady because all I see is an old hag!"

"What did you say?" _THUNK_

"Ow! Stop that!"

"Why should I?"

John sighed as he watched them continue to argue, "Ayako, Bou-san, please stop fighting." They didn't hear him as they continued to argue. Masako patted him on the back sympathetically.

Luckily Naru decided that it was time to start the exorcism. "If you don't mind Matsuzaki-san, we would like to have Bou-san begin the exorcism – while conscious if you don't mind," he said dryly.

Ayako and Bou-san stopped arguing immediately at Naru's cold voice. Ayako quickly went over to join the others as Bou-san got in position. Bou-san cleared his throat, "So should I start?"

Naru nodded, "If you're ready."

Bou-san nodded and intertwined his fingers in the same position he showed Mai as he began to chant, "On Kiri Kiri Bazara Bajiri Hora Manda Manda Unhatta . . ."

Mai shivered as she felt the room getting colder. She rubbed her arms in an effort to stay warm.

Sumiko noticed, "Are you alright? Do you want me to get you a jacket?"

Mai shook her head, "No. It always gets cold when a spirit arrives. I'm used to it."

Sumiko nodded, "Alright, but tell me if it gets too cold." Mai smiled in response. Sumiko returned the smile before they both turned back to the exorcism.

Mist had started coming from the floor. Mai turned when she heard a gasp from beside her. Masako was covering her mouth, looking very pale. Ayako even had to support the girl so she wouldn't fall. "She's here," Masako whispered, pointing to the center of the room. Everyone turned to look.

There, a few meters in front of Bou-san, a vague shape was moving out of the floor, the mist increasing in that area. As Mai looked closer, she could see the shape becoming clearer, taking on the figure of a young woman. Mai recognized the woman. "Miyako," she whispered.

Everyone looked at her briefly before looking back at the spirit. They remembered that the name of the woman in their dreams was 'Miyako'. So this was her.

Her eyes were filled with anger and sorrow. "She's in so much pain," Masako paled even more. They all knew she was feeling the pain of the spirit.

"Why are you trying to make me leave?" the spirit spoke to them. The SPR team jerked in surprise that the spirit was speaking to them. Sumiko noted from their reactions that it was not usual for the spirit to speak during exorcisms.

"We want to help you," John told her kindly, "It's not good for you to stay here."

Ayako nodded, "You'd be happier if you moved on. We just want you to be happy."

The spirit narrowed her eyes. "Lies," she hissed, "You're just like him, him and that witch. You all just want me to be away."

"We're not," Mai shook her head, "I saw what happened to you. It was terrible, but you can't let that hold you back. You have to move on."

"She's right," Bou-san said, "You can't hurt others because you're unhappy."

"Why am I the only one suffering?" the spirit murmured, "All I ever wanted was children, yet I never got that. How could all these women get what I never had so easily? It's not fair!"

"So to break it to you, but _life's_ not fair."

Everyone turned to Sumiko, shocked upon hearing her blunt words. They had expected the girl to be among those most sympathetic to the spirit, based on her kind-hearted nature. "Sumiko . . .," Bou-san warned.

Sumiko ignored the warning. "Everyone has to lose something important to them, if they are to realize how to treasure what they have. Some are too afraid and they run away from it so they can never learn how to accept pain. If they continue to run, one more loss will shatter them to so many pieces that they can't ever be put back together," Sumiko looked the spirit in the eyes, "So how long are you going to run, Miyako?"

"You have no idea how I felt, having my only reasons for living taken away! I can never have my dream come true! Do you know how painful that is?" The spirit yelled shrilly.

"No, I don't," Sumiko told her, "But you shouldn't either."

The spirit looked taken back by Sumiko's words, "I . . . shouldn't?"

Sumiko smiled, warmth coming into her eyes, "Do you remember those girls you attacked? You attacked them for playing with the children in this orphanage, but none of those children were _their _children. You knew that too. But then why did you attack them?"

"Why did I . . . attack them?" The spirit repeated the sentence to herself as though puzzling over something: something none of the SPR team quite understood.

"Why indeed? Why attack those who don't have children, but instead act as guides to them?" Sumiko began to walk towards the spirit, ignoring protest from the SPR team, "It makes it seem as though you don't mind not having children, but rather wish to care for them and be someone who can guide them." She stopped in front of the spirit with a kind smile on her face as she reached out to the spirit with one hand, "Ne?"

The spirit felt tears spill across her face as she sobbed, "But what's the use of knowing that now?"

"There are children in the next world too, you know," Sumiko smiled as the spirit looked at her with hope in her eyes, "They are just like all other children: living or not. They need someone to show them the way and be there when they need a place to return to. They need _you_."

"They . . . need me?" The spirit repeated quietly.

"Of course," Sumiko touched the spirit's cheek, "So please go to them. Be there for them with the warmth you have always had."

The spirit looked at her for a few moments as tears continued to fall: only this time they were tears of joy. She slowly moved away from Sumiko, who let her hand drop. The spirit smiled at the woman, "You're right. I've been here too long. I want to help those children just as you have helped me."

Sumiko grinned, "Good luck, _Oka-san_." The spirit chuckled as she began to fade away.

She looked at Sumiko with warmth in her eyes. "Thank you, Sumiko . . . for everything," she whispered as she faded away completely.

Sumiko smiled, "Good-bye . . . Miyako."

**So that's the exorcism. Sorry this chapter is smaller than the other ones. It's not as eventful as my exorcism in 'A Child's Wish', but I thought it suited this story's tone. It seems this story is more relaxed than my other one. Next is the final chapter: the epilogue. Thank you for reading. See ya next chapter. **


	12. Epilogue

Chapter 12

"We weren't even needed during that case," Ayako complained.

"That's not true," Sumiko appeased, "If Bou-san hadn't summoned the spirit and Mai hadn't had that dream, I would be utterly clueless."

"Might I mention that out of all the things you said, I wasn't included as needed?" Ayako muttered.

"Yeah well, you usually aren't useful anyways," Bou-san shrugged. _THUNK! _"Ow! What did you do that for? "

"Shut up, you old geezer!"

John sighed, "There they go again." Masako rolled her eyes at the two while Mai chuckled.

Yasuhara grinned, "Ah, young people are always so energetic."

Sumiko chuckled before turning to Mai, "Is that the last of your equipment?"

Mai nodded, adjusting her arms so it was easier to hold the heavy monitor, "I better put this away before I drop it and Naru yells at me." She groaned, making Sumiko laugh. "It's not funny," Mai glared at Sumiko.

"Oh yes it is," Sumiko grinned, her eyes shining, "To see am apparently emotionless seventeen years-old who is already the head of a company acting like an elementary student by teasing the girl he likes and the girl being completely oblivious to it is not only hilarious, but also very classic."

Mai blushed, stammering, "T-That's not true!"

"If you say so," Sumiko's grin was ever-present. They were all standing out at the front of the orphanage, most of them carrying the equipment back to the van. Noriko and Izumi had returned with the children and Kago to thank them profusely, inviting them to return anytime. Right now, the two women and Kago were taking care of the children, who were all enthusiastic that the spirit was gone.

Mai grumbled to herself, still blushing lightly as she put the last piece of equipment in the van.

Still watching Mai, Sumiko smirked to herself as she remembered when she had been at the base, telling Naru and Bou-san about how all the children wanted to become ghost hunters now. Bou-san had teased Naru about how he would have more 'tea-slaves' available but he wouldn't choose anyone other than 'his precious Mai'. However Bou-san's teasing words were quickly silenced by a death glare sent his way by Naru though that glare failed to have the same effect on Sumiko's laughter as she had remarked it was useless to glare at someone who can't see the glare. She had been tempted to tell Mai about it and tease her about how Naru hadn't exactly denied it, but she decided that she would just wait and see what would happen. She smiled, closing her eyes as she sent out a silent prayer, "_Let everyone I hold precious be happy in their life. That's the only thing I'll ever ask for so please . . ._"

Ayako stopped in the middle of the argument, looking up abruptly as she murmured, "It's changed . . ."

"What has?" Bou-san raised his eyebrow.

"The aura of the trees," Ayako replied absentmindedly, "It's like they're responding to something with warmth . . ."

"Are they responding the same person who revived them?" Naru asked. He and Lin-san had overheard the conversation and decided that it was of importance, walking over to investigate.

Ayako nodded, "Yeah. I can feel their warmth for this person, but it's not only them."

"What do you mean?" John looked puzzled.

"Though my specialty is 'tree spirits', I can sense other natural spirits as well though I can only sense them when their emotions are strong."

"What are 'natural spirits'?" Mai asked, having joined them earlier.

"To put it basically, they're the spirits of nature such as 'water spirits' and so on. Some people have an affinity with specific natural spirits like Ayako has with 'tree spirits', which allows them to communicate with the spirits and request their power though sometimes the people don't realize their ability," Masako explained, shrugging when she noted everyone's surprised expressions, "I might not be able to sense them, but I _do_ have much knowledge about spirits themselves."

"But who," Yasuhara pondered, "is getting these 'natural spirits' to react to them?"

"Ayako, could you follow the direction of the spirits' response? Though I can vaguely sense it due to my shiki, I can't sense it enough to find out where it is directed," Lin-san asked the miko.

Ayako nodded. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself before opening her eyes again. She watched the sky closely. It was clear to the other members of the SPR team that she was seeing something they didn't. Ayako began to move her eyes in the direction she 'saw' the spirits' response, her eyes finally stopping as they rested on a specific person. The SPR team turned to follow Ayako's gaze, their eyes widening slightly as they saw who it was.

There Sumiko was, the wind gently lifting her hair and swirling around her. Though most people would have dismissed this, the SPR team knew it was the response of the 'natural spirits'. Sumiko didn't react to it as she stood still with her eyes closed, a soft smile playing at her lips.

"So that's what it is," Ayako said with a wry smile. The others turned to her with questioning looks. "It's her warmth. It draws the spirits to her. That's why the 'natural spirits' are responding to her. Right now, she is probably overfilling with warmth: even I can see that. It's like she is sending out a request to them and they are agreeing to it."

Sumiko opened her eyes and looked at them, a wide smile coming over her face. She walked over to them, waving her hand in front of them, "Hey, what are you doing staring at me?" They all smiled back, thinking the same thing. Perhaps another day they would ask her about the 'natural spirits' and if she knew about them. However for now they would let it be though they couldn't help, but think that she probably did know about it: not much seemed to get by her.

Yasuhara adjusted his glasses, grinning mischievously, "We were just admiring your incredible beauty."

Sumiko placed her hand over her heart, "I'm flattered."

Yasuhara sighed dramatically, "It's going to make our dates so hard with all those men flirting with you."

Sumiko laughed, "Well, I guess you'll just have to protect me."

Yasuhara smirked, "Indeed, I will." Quickly he bent close to brush his lips against hers. Sumiko raised her eyebrow at him. He just winked, making her shake her head as she chuckled at his actions.

The SPR team on the other hand, were gaping in astonishment at what had just happened.

"Did he just k-kiss her?" Bou-san stammered.

"I think so," Ayako couldn't stop staring.

"Oh my," Masako lifted her sleeve to her mouth. John blushed slightly.

However as soon as Mai overcame the initial shock, she cried in joy, "Yes!" She threw her arms around Sumiko.

"I take it you're happy," Sumiko laughingly returned the hug.

"Of course I am," Mai grinned, "I want all the details."

"You are so energetic," Sumiko smirked.

"At least I'm energetic in the day, the way a normal human is supposed to be," Mai retorted, "You're energetic in the night!"

"Which I must say," Yasuhara nipped Sumiko's ear playfully, "suits our purpose perfectly." Sumiko laughed as she shied away from the nip.

"You're open, aren't you, Shounen?" Bou-san commented dryly.

"Of course," Yasuhara adjusted his glasses.

"But aren't you being a bit _too _open with that line?" Ayako asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope," Yasuhara grinned, "Honesty is necessary in a relationship." Bou-san groaned at his words while John patted his back sympathetically.

"But," Mai narrowed her eyes at the boy, glaring as she placed her hands on her hips, "if you hurt her, I will make sure you regret it."

"Yes, ma'am," Yasuhara saluted the girl.

Sumiko smiled at her old-time friend and hugged the girl from behind, "You're so cute, Mai-chan~ But I have to say, I could say the same thing concerning you."

Everyone except Mai who wasn't looking at Sumiko could see the smirk the black-haired girl sent Naru, which was clearly meant as a warning. "_Hm,_" Lin-san hid a smile, "_It's been a while since anyone's threatened Naru. It seems like things are going to get even more interesting._"

"Uh? What are you talking about, Sumiko?" Mai looked at her friend questioningly.

"Oh, nothing," Sumiko smiled reassuringly at the girl. Mai studied her for a few moments before shrugging and turning to the others.

"Mai, you are so oblivious," Masako sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mai had a vein popping in her forehead.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Masako hid a smirk behind her sleeve.

"Why you . . .," Mai growled.

"Now, please remember that there is no need for words that must be censored," Sumiko smiled jokingly.

"If you are all done," Naru spoke up, "I believe it's time to leave." With that, he turned and walked away, heading over to the van.

"That bastard," Mai glared at him, "How could he be so rude?"

Sumiko let go of her, laughing at the girl's expression as she patted the girl on the back, "Don't kill him."

"So um," Bou-san coughed. Sumiko turned to face him. "I guess we have to get going," Bou-san scratched his head.

"I guess you do," Sumiko said expressionlessly.

"So this is good-bye," Ayako smiled hesitantly.

"Like hell it is."

"Eh?" John looked puzzled at Sumiko's blunt words as she continued to keep her face expressionless.

Sumiko grinned, "This is . . . 'See you later!'"

**Hey, that's the end. I'll probably write a sequel for this. Don't know yet. Today's my last day of summer vacation so I'll try my best to continue but I might not be constant. Thank you to all those who read this. I really enjoyed reading your reviews. Have fun. And see ya next story! ;)**

**P.S: For those who have read 'A Child's Wish', continue watching for the sequel. It's probably going to be called 'Black Spell of the Past'. Thanks!**


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